My girlfriend wants somewhere to, in her words, "detox" in the USA. But it's not drug or booze related. She wants somewhere go, chill, clear her head, be quiet for a while and concentrate on starting her life again. And she wants to do it for free. Any ideas? [more inside]posted by rileyray3000 at 5:34 PM PST - 38 comments

Trying to keep my data around with a minimum of bother, and also looking for a long-term solution. Is there such a thing as a (slowly) growable RAID array? [more inside]posted by printdevil at 5:15 PM PST - 9 comments

How can I prove to the DMV that the lien on the car I just bought has been paid off? The secured party listed on the title (a bank) was bought by FCNB bank and then by BB&T bank. [more inside]posted by youthenrage at 3:29 PM PST - 8 comments

The problem: I'm subscribed to 20-30 high volume mailing lists (e.g., Ubuntu, Python) and the gmail account I'm using is now 80% full! I subscribed to them to ask a question once in a while, but I really have no interest in following every post to the lists. My question is how do others handle this situation? Is there a solution to mailing lists that I'm missing? [more inside]posted by GregX3 at 11:23 AM PST - 28 comments

i'm going to be moving to georgia in may with my fiance. he's from augusta and would like to move back there. i personally would like to be somewhat closer to atlanta. i want to live in a town with culture and i would like to be able to have some land (acres away from neighbors). please help me decide where i should move. posted by lilafain at 10:51 AM PST - 15 comments

Alternatives to junXion? I would like to use my cheapo Saitek P990 gamepad as a MIDI controller on OS X. junXion is not working reliably and is too expensive for my purposes. posted by mzurer at 8:37 AM PST - 3 comments

What are some good books for people with mild ADD? By this I do not mean, books about attention deficit disorder, I mean books that are short, or easy to read. [more inside]posted by mjao at 8:26 AM PST - 34 comments

I have two personal checks, both VERY large, to deposit into my checking account. This is slightly freaking me out since I've never done such a thing in my life (and I've had unusually low account balances for 6+ years). Can I just do this without making my bank suspicious or causing any problems? [more inside]posted by anonymous at 7:55 AM PST - 55 comments

My mother's dog (part of our family for 10 years) passed away last night of major sudden medical problems. My mother is in her late 50s, divorced, and lives alone - and considered the dog practically one of her children. How can I help her through this better? [more inside]posted by jare2003 at 7:43 AM PST - 21 comments

Coding question: What is the best/easiest way to preserve typographical formatting (like nbsp's, line breaks) of pasted text that will be stored in a database and later displayed in boxes of arbitrary size? [more inside]posted by shownomercy at 7:05 AM PST - 6 comments

I'm going to show up at a new year's eve party by myself. It'll be a huge party, and I will only know one person, who'll probably be too busy to talk to me all night. [more inside]posted by peteok at 6:54 AM PST - 24 comments

What can you tell me about excellent grad schools for the fine (visual!) arts in Eastern Canada... and about the job field for visual arts professors? [more inside]posted by flibbertigibbet at 12:57 AM PST - 4 comments

I'd like to read about the beliefs and lifestyles of denominations in the US that teach about Christ. Basically, their beliefs, history, and organization in the US, focusing on who they are today and how they got there. [more inside]posted by freddymungo at 12:57 AM PST - 15 comments

Does this hip-hop song ring a bell? It was produced in the last two years. It talked talked about either dead rappers, or famous rappers. The style of music was similar to those by K-OS or Common. Please hope me? posted by phyrewerx at 10:17 PM PST - 8 comments

I'm considering the purchase of a trailer, and more specifically a Toy Hauler like the Wells Cargo GetAway IV.
I know nothing about these types of trailers but would appreciate brand and model recommendations. [more inside]posted by jpozadzides at 8:22 PM PST - 1 comment

Another remembering question. Song lyric: "I think I've got blood poisoning!" An obscure band, probably in the early 90's, sparse and clanky percussive music. The vocalist is telling a story, not really singing, yelling perhaps, and repeating a lot of his sentences twice. [more inside]posted by Area Control at 7:46 PM PST - 6 comments

when i read one book i usually read it once to enjoy it, read it a second time to pull out the bits i need to remember and then a third time to fully understand those bits. This is ok when i only have one book to read in one month but when i have 3 books per week to get through how do i make retention more effective. I would ideally prefer to just do one read but im sure id forget everything or be confused byt the end of the first read. Ive thought about using stickies to help me highlight the most important of things but not sure what i should be doing with em. has anyone got a good system of annotating or reading quiclky effectively? That may sound like a simple question but i always thought the to do list was simple untill getting things done showed how primitive it was, perhaps theres something for anotating that will speed up finding the juicy bits of info 2nd time roudn. Ive heard of speed reading but know little of the method. Any tips would be greatly appreciated. posted by thegeezer3 at 6:59 PM PST - 10 comments

I really love the works of low-budget auteurs like Hal Hartley, Gregg Araki, and Jim Jarmusch (also, although they don't fit so much in the low-budget category, Richard Linklater and War-Kong Wei). Are there any other auteurs out there whose movies I should watch? To refine your suggestions, I'm not looking for classic directors like Godard or Bergman, or big names like Wenders or Greenaway or Tarantino or Von Trier. I'm interested in learning about directors who are not big names. Basically, I'm looking for interesting young directors whose films are available on DVD but have not emerged into the national spotlight. posted by jayder at 6:52 PM PST - 25 comments

I have a stalker. This young woman is 26 and we were friends at work, and became friends outside of work. I don't know what to do next... will the police help me? There is no threat of physical harm... just the mental stress from her not leaving me alone. [more inside]posted by anonymous at 6:15 PM PST - 29 comments

While on a road trip through Texas, I heard a song on the radio about watching the NCAA tournament on one TV while the bombing of Baghad was happening on another TV in the Las Vegas Airport. Can anyone name the artist/title of this song? It was a nice, bluesy song. [more inside]posted by verevi at 4:26 PM PST - 4 comments

I'm thinking of a rotating platform in the floor of the stage. The platform has many partitions to make rooms, with a different set in each room. When the setting of the play changes, the platform is rotated to reveal a different set. While the actors are using one setting during the play, the partitions facing backstage are re-arranged and prepared before they are used. Is there a term for this, or is it just referred to generically? posted by Niomi at 4:21 PM PST - 7 comments

I sleep on a futon mattress directly on the (carpeted) floor, in the basement. I think the coldness of winter seeps through the basement floor and into my mattress. How can I keep from freezing when I want to get to sleep? [more inside]posted by DrSkrud at 4:10 PM PST - 28 comments

I've noticed that quite small radio stations, shops etc now sell compilation CD's which are badged as their own ("SmallTown FM - 20 Greatest Hits" etc). How do these deals work ? [more inside]posted by southof40 at 3:26 PM PST - 5 comments

can you help? in 1990 there was a television series called Gophers. In short it was a comedy about a common type gopher family living next door to the very prim and proper rabbit family and the characters were all life size puppets. i have searched long and hard to find any information possible on this series and so far have managed to find only a short cast list and a small snippet from the theme tune and no one i know seems to remember it at all. Is it possible anyone has any information on what happened to the series and whether it was ever released on video? posted by angelmouse3003 at 1:54 PM PST - 3 comments

WIFI-Filter: My brother and I would like to build a wireless network between our two homes to create a secure network, but we have no idea about radio antennas, signal strength, line-of-sight, etc. [more inside]posted by id at 12:58 PM PST - 13 comments

I studied philosophy in college. By my senior year I had decided that I wanted to pursue a career in academia. I had co-founded a conference. I was writing a thesis. I had intentions of applying to graduate schools. However, during my last semester I experienced a crisis of faith and delayed my thesis for six months, eventually earning a "C". I want to go back and do the job right, but I don't know how. [more inside]posted by anonymous at 11:20 AM PST - 17 comments

My father and I are looking to sell his 1969 m151a2 Army Jeep.
It's in good condition, but we're in a town that only has so much selling potential (Birmingham, AL). Putting it on Ebay seems like an obvious choice. I was also thinking of putting it on craigslist for towns that, though far, might include some willing to pay more to have the jeep transported.
I've googled about for websites selling Army jeeps but haven't come up with much.
Do you have any suggestions for selling this? Online or offline, overall, we'd just like to get the best mix of convenience in selling and price.
In advance and always, thank you for reading my question, for thinking about it, and if posting, thank you even more. This really is a great forum and I hope to be a part of it for a long long time. posted by gbinal at 10:11 AM PST - 9 comments

I've been noting down ideas for a potential novel for over a year. Problem is, I now have so many that it's tough to keep track of it all. How can I organise and consolidate them into something workable? [more inside]posted by Acey at 6:59 AM PST - 27 comments

It's been suggested that I take wedding pictures at my friend's upcoming wedding in February as the bride and groom are doing a nice low-key affair. What camera do I get, and how do I get good decent at it in 2 months? 3 parts inside [more inside]posted by 0xFCAF at 2:20 AM PST - 39 comments

December 29

In the sympathy for the devil video posted by stavros... does anybody else see John Lennon in there? Is it my imagination?
http://youtube.com/watch?v=waFOyhezIPA posted by bukvich at 11:30 PM PST - 2 comments

I'm twenty years old, in college, and I feel like my life is standing still. Help me find something to do this summer that will change my life. [more inside]posted by cosmic osmo at 11:30 PM PST - 24 comments

At a party the other day, there was a guy who lived in China until about a year ago, who was behaving obnoxiously (invading personal space, being too loud), but I felt that he meant well, and just didn't know how to behave. How to deal with this? [more inside]posted by rwatson at 8:40 PM PST - 17 comments

I've lived in L.A. for several years. I've just signed a year lease on a place I like very much, except there's an increase in street noise both sporadic and repetitive that's got me worried. All of my windows face the street and all but one have wooden frames with old-timey latches that don't do a great job of blocking out noise. Does noise-reduction moulding work? Heavy curtains? Any tips for dealing with street noise/apartment building noise in general? [more inside]posted by ambulance blues at 8:29 PM PST - 14 comments

Frat boy wisdom(?) filter: When I was in college, it was common beer drinking wisdom that dropping by the lou too early in the evening was ill-advised and known as "breaking the seal", the idea being that you would be dashing to the bathroom all evening long as a result. Is there any physical or psychological reason why this would be true? posted by B-squared at 6:20 PM PST - 12 comments

I saw a British film on TV in the early 80's
a group of criminals conspire to be in prison during the big football game in order to break out, print some huge quantity of pound notes in the royal treasury itself, and break back into prison. What was the name? [more inside]posted by Megafly at 6:03 PM PST - 4 comments

I am studying in human science (psychology), and I'm starting university next month. I have been using a laptop running Linux to take notes and write assignments during the past two years or so, but I feel my current technique for note taking is unsatisfactory. [more inside]posted by a007r at 4:35 PM PST - 10 comments

I have five kittens living with their mom in my backyard. They're old enough now that I want to trap them and find homes for them. But I need suggetions on traps (they're very wary of humans) and suggestions on where to go to get the mom fixed (I plan on releasing her back into the yard and provide her with shelter and food).
I'm in Red Hook, Brooklyn, without a car, so any extremely cheap vets and/or cat rescue groups nearby would be great.
Thanks!
(Yes, I already have two rescued beasts that live with me, so I'm not keeping any of the new kittens--although I'd like to.) posted by mixer at 3:34 PM PST - 19 comments

I just got a Pioneer Inno XM2Go Satellite Radio with MP3. Woohoo! But I also have a video iPod. Seems I should be able to put all my MP3s on the Inno. I have about 1000 songs and all are on iTunes. But XM likes to work with Napster.
How can I manage this? Can I transfer all the iTunes MP3s to my Inno? Will I have to use Napster from now on to download songs? posted by miltoncat at 3:05 PM PST - 3 comments

Just wondering what weight/BMI (considering height) is the dealbreaker for most straight men when they date a woman? Mine is 25 which is overweight but sure as hell don't feel like it! [more inside]posted by Freecola at 1:52 PM PST - 26 comments

Since all sorts of very clever people frequent metafilter I figured it would be worth a shot to repost this mootools related javascripting question here. [more inside]posted by Grod at 10:56 AM PST - 6 comments

The best films to see while tripping?
LSD, HDTV, surround sound, on DVD?
Looking for visual effects, chromakey, 3000 miles from home, set controls for the center of the sun, etc. [more inside]posted by klangklangston at 9:51 AM PST - 98 comments

What's a good camcorder-like device that can take video and quickly dump it to a computer to post online? I'm going abroad and want to reassure my parents that I haven't died with periodic videos of the trip. [more inside]posted by Rictic at 9:39 AM PST - 12 comments

Looking for popular songs and movies that can be used to educate people in the system for abuse related crimes. These examples will be used to facilitate discussions about relationship boundaries, male entitlement, and inappropriate behavior. [more inside]posted by Alison at 7:01 AM PST - 45 comments

My Western Digital MyBook has a folder on it called "iPod control." I have tried deleting it, but it always comes back. This hard drive has had this "feature" since I bought it."
As a result of this, my Rhapsody software keeps thinking I have an iPod attached to my computer when I don't.
I realize this hard drive is only trying to be helpful, but this quirk makes me want to beat it with a hose. posted by 4ster at 6:47 AM PST - 8 comments

I've got a night in NYC on 24 January and want to take advantage of the Winter Restaurant Week USD 35.00 prix-fixe menus somewhere in town but where? [more inside]posted by i_cola at 6:09 AM PST - 13 comments

When talking, Danes sometimes make a quick gasping noise that's very distinctive but difficult to describe. Can anyone explain this odd habit? Does it have a name? (More details inside.) [more inside]posted by Ø at 4:33 AM PST - 27 comments

I cannot, for the life of me, burn a DVD on my MacPro of an 8.5 minute video without 2-4 video/audio glitches. Details of everything I've tried within. [more inside]posted by robbie01 at 1:08 AM PST - 5 comments

I’m looking for a video camera and can’t seem to find one with the features I need—a microphone input jack, records direct to digital formats and good enough quality of video for web stuff. [more inside]posted by jkl345 at 12:06 AM PST - 9 comments

December 28

Librarian type question: how on earth can I get access to the National Security Archive database by Proquest? I am writing some articles on the Cold War on Wikipedia and want to see some of the documents in this collection, but Proquest/Chadwyck doesn't deal with individuals. They even offer free trials, which I can't get because I'm not an individual. Am I out of luck? [more inside]posted by zek at 11:57 PM PST - 8 comments

I have two SATA drives installed on my machine. My computer works fine except for the fact that roughly every two or three weeks my computer will fail to boot with a message reading "NTLOADER is missing. Press CTRL ALT DEL to reboot." I can fix the problem temporarily by opening up my computer case and swapping the drives around on the motherboard (putting the cable for Drive 1 into SATA 2 and vice versa), at which point Windows will boot up fine and function without a problem but as I said, within the space of two to three weeks, the problem comes back. Hope me, please! System specs inside. [more inside]posted by Effigy2000 at 9:20 PM PST - 14 comments

My mother is 94. I recently found out that she has unclaimed assets from a long time ago. The state says that in order to claim the money, she has to prove that she lived at the residence listed on the claim. We think she lived there in the 1940's. How do I go about finding records from so long ago? posted by ellke at 8:59 PM PST - 8 comments

I am looking to apply for an entry-level position at some of the large investment banks in NYC (Goldman Sachs, Bear Sterns) as well as some smaller ones. I have friends that work in banking and are encouraging me to become a junior analyst. Do they drug test? How extensively? [more inside]posted by anonymous at 8:21 PM PST - 18 comments

I got, as a Christmas surprise, a betta (Siamese fighting fish) and the accompanying pet-store setup. I'd really like to keep it in conditions that are not just horrible-but-minimally-survivable -- but Wikipedia's standards seem amazingly high. What should I do? [more inside]posted by booksandlibretti at 7:54 PM PST - 16 comments

Help me find a way into Montreal in a legal fashion. I am a US citizen and I want to live there only to write my novel but I have no idea how to get a job there. [more inside]posted by AEM914 at 7:36 PM PST - 6 comments

My Mac Mini shut off when the powerstrip got unplugged.
Now when I power it on it loads up the "Bluetooth Setup Assistant" and keeps searching for bluetooth mice - which I don't have any. The Dock is gone and the top white menu bar is only partially painted. [more inside]posted by ao4047 at 7:11 PM PST - 15 comments

I received a new turntable for Christmas. I’m having a hard time following the owner’s manual and on-lineresources that explain how to achieve the best possible sound quality. If my LPs play fine, to my ears anyway, how important is it to perfectly adjust the cartridge, tracking force, azimuth, etc.? Besides offending obsessive audiophiles, do I run the risk of damaging the records or turntable? [more inside]posted by njm at 6:12 PM PST - 7 comments

The type of self-defense demonstrated on the Fox series 24 is quick, brutal and decisive. Although obviously make-believe TV, it strikes me that this probably an accurate portrayal hand-to-hand confrontations when somebody knows what they are doing. What style of self-defense does the character Jack Bauer employ in subduing or neutralizing his targets? posted by quadog at 3:45 PM PST - 18 comments

I would like a definitive view of the Israel/Palestine conflict that doesn't take sides (even most of the factual histories I've read omit some facts to give a certain slant to one side or the other). This could come in the form of a book, website, documentay, torrent, .pdf, podcast, or miscellaneous other media forms I haven't thought of. [more inside]posted by elr at 2:34 PM PST - 23 comments

I've read a few really good works on quantum physics and other cutting-edge sciences, and I'd like to know more. However, I'm coming at this topic from a decidedly non-scientific education. Can someone suggest a few titles? posted by jackypaper at 1:53 PM PST - 15 comments

I'm interested in fitting odd lenses -- and making custom lenses -- to/for digital cameras and digital video cameras. I'm not terribly concerned with the electronic side of things, so you shouldn't be either. What I'm looking for is a crass/crash course in optics -- something (a book, a video, a class, a kit) that will teach me the basics of optics and allow me to force photocopier lenses, telescopes, and microscopes onto unsuspecting recording devices. posted by fake at 1:51 PM PST - 12 comments

Can anyone recommend easy to install, cross platform monitoring software for Mac OS X - that is, something that would allow a parent, employer or teacher to, from their PC, monitor the screen of a Macintosh? Will remote desktop do this? Is it relatively easy to install? posted by luriete at 12:07 PM PST - 14 comments

Stop me hitting my iPod! My 4th gen iPod requires frequent slapping to encourage it to unfreeze (try Googling 'slap+ipod' to see what I mean). What does this particular 'fix' actually do? How do I fix my iPod in a more permanent way? [more inside]posted by Kiwi at 10:35 AM PST - 8 comments

The air compressor on my 2002 Ford Ranger is making a really loud clicking sound every ten seconds when the heater or AC is turned on. The mechanic says this is normal. Is this normal? [more inside]posted by worstkidever at 8:25 AM PST - 7 comments

Talk to me about horse trailers. I need to buy a horse trailer before horse show season starts in the spring. I'm interested in advice / recommendations from anybody that has a horse and/or trailer. [more inside]posted by COD at 7:33 AM PST - 4 comments

My sister and her boyfriend(Jewish) are talking seriously about moving to Israel. What books, articles, ect. do I need to read to form a rounded opinion about this state. [more inside]posted by nintendo at 3:57 AM PST - 16 comments

I'm looking for a good computer-parts store in or around the DC Metro area; 'good' meaning one that has "junk bins" of parts that can be pawed through, lots of used gear, no salespeople, etc. Specifically not a big-box store. [more inside]posted by Kadin2048 at 12:11 AM PST - 6 comments

I bought a 348 piece tool set from Craftsman to work on my car. This is usually a group effort, multiple tool boxes involved. How can I mark my tools to insure at the end of the day, I have all of my sockets and wrenches. (more inside) [more inside]posted by JujuB at 10:46 PM PST - 24 comments

It's a nice place to work, but do I want to live there? I'm seeking advice, stories, etc. on an issue I've been struggling with for some time now on whether it's worthwhile to keep a good job that's far away from where I grew up. It's kind of a work vs. family issue, although I'm talking about "family" in the extended sense of cousins, parents, etc, as opposed to spouse 'n' kids. Of course, this is a very individual topic, and of course, there is ... [more inside]posted by anonymous at 9:43 PM PST - 6 comments

I have a home network that is working fine except for emails from one server. The problem is not the server. What else could it be? more inside... [more inside]posted by pikaboy202 at 7:56 PM PST - 6 comments

OSX Security: I followed the instructions on this MacOSXhints article to setup my shiny new MacBook Pro to take a picture using the built-in iSight whenever there's a failed authentication attempt. I've noticed that every night at 9:53, there are multiple failed login attempts, but it's while I'm using the computer, so I end up with pictures of me. [more inside]posted by chota at 7:41 PM PST - 16 comments

Why would Target employees not be truthful about when they have had/will get Wiis in stock? Is there a secret handshake I can do to figure out the real story? [more inside]posted by AgentRocket at 6:22 PM PST - 26 comments

I was hit by a bus while my car was not moving. Who do I sue in small claims court, the driver of the bus, or the private company that owns the bus? [more inside]posted by JakeWalker at 6:18 PM PST - 16 comments

CheerUpFilter: I haven't exacty been the brightest ray of sunshine lately, and as it's 3:30am here and my mum's in the other room sleeping, I need something I can do that'll cheer me up without waking her up. [more inside]posted by alona at 5:42 PM PST - 19 comments

My partner is being treated with antibiotics for an infected root canal but has developed a tender, golf-ball sized swelling between his jaw and his cheek. Do we need to go back to the emergency dentist before flying home? [more inside]posted by Flitcraft at 4:07 PM PST - 13 comments

I once heard that newspapers (and/or magazines) before publishing pictures of people who recently passed, would color in the highlight on their pupils. Is this a myth or a truth? posted by grefo at 3:14 PM PST - 9 comments

Excel question: I'm looking to pull a months and years worth of spreadsheet information to a summary report. The days work is saved as reportxxxxxx (month/day/year) [more inside]posted by brent at 1:12 PM PST - 4 comments

I'm looking for ideas or suggestions for some kind of ritual or tradition to do on New Year's Eve to really symbolize starting the new year off with a clean slate. [more inside]posted by tastybrains at 12:57 PM PST - 25 comments

Network Security: I'm looking for recommendations for an individual or company that can come check out our network and make sure it's secure. In Sterling, VA (NoVA/DC). [more inside]posted by sa3z at 12:29 PM PST - 9 comments

NoisyStrapFilter: I splurged on an expensive handbag last week and am now surprised to find that the leather and chain shoulder strap is surprisingly noisy. What can I do to make the strap quieter ? [more inside]posted by AuntLisa at 12:14 PM PST - 6 comments

My brother would like nothing more for Christmas than to be able to put some or all of Wikipedia onto his 5th-Generation Video iPod. Is this do-able? [more inside]posted by willbaude at 12:04 PM PST - 4 comments

St. Louis New Years Fireworks: I'm going to be in St. Louis over New Years Eve. Where are the fireworks? Googling has found a fireworks display at First Night St. Louis at 9:00 PM and another in Westport Plaza at 6:00 PM. Surely there's more than this (and at least one show at midnight) right? [more inside]posted by trystero at 11:58 AM PST - 4 comments

St. Louis Ice Skating: I'd like to take a date ice skating in St. Louis for New Year's. Where can I go? My assumption is that it's not cold enough for an outdoor rink, so I'm probably looking for an indoor rink. [more inside]posted by gd779 at 11:25 AM PST - 5 comments

MS Excel help needed. I need to set up some sort of automated merging macro in excel and am having trouble tracking down the best way. The details, and much [more inside]posted by chrisamiller at 11:16 AM PST - 3 comments

I received a jar of homemade pepper jelly as a Christmas present. What do I do with it? What is it good to put on?
My experience with homemade jelly is limited to what you would put on toast or peanut butter sandwiches, neither of which sounds appealling with anything involving pepper.
Ideas? posted by lawhound at 11:03 AM PST - 25 comments

I would like to find out about good providers of photography tours and/or travel-based photography workshops abroad. Preferably, the workshops should be pitched at the level of an intermediate photographer. [more inside]posted by matildaben at 11:02 AM PST - 6 comments

Waitressing crash course: I have the opportunity to work in a high-end restaurant/live music club but I have no previous waitressing experience. I'm taking the job to make extra money and I want to maximize my tip potential. [more inside]posted by megancita at 9:36 AM PST - 53 comments

I have a pocket pc and gps device and i'm off to switzerland skiing over new year, is there some way that i can combine my favourite geek toy with my favourite sporting passtime? [more inside]posted by donbing at 8:37 AM PST - 4 comments

Is it possible to break into social entrepreneurship/development without getting a MBA? Especially when you already have a master's degree? [more inside]posted by gov_moonbeam at 12:43 AM PST - 5 comments

Gold. I'm looking for an interesting read, preferably something short, that explains why gold has the role it has in the global economy and how that role came about. [more inside]posted by aaronwsj at 12:32 AM PST - 12 comments

How can I find out relative market share of online applications? In particular, I'm curious to see how Google Calendar is faring against Yahoo! Calendar. I've found this blog post, which shows stats from May 2006, but I'd like something that's more up-to-date, and broader (i.e., includes calendars). posted by peterme at 8:07 PM PST - 1 comment

I have a pair of jeans. It is a normal pair of jeans. I would like to have a line of rhinestones going along the outseam on either leg. What's the best method? [more inside]posted by SampleSize at 7:30 PM PST - 11 comments

[Iain M Banks Filter] In The Algebraist, much is made of the lack of supralight communication with the rest of the galaxy thanks to the collapsed wormhole portal. (And now we get spoilerish.) [more inside]posted by beaucoupkevin at 7:25 PM PST - 4 comments

With $450, what digital video camcorder should I buy? I really like the Sony DCR-DVD 105 but I'm unfamiliar if that's the best camera for my money. [more inside]posted by seinfeld at 5:42 PM PST - 5 comments

I want to get in to snowboard/ski photography. I'm new to DSLRs, but have a good eye and lots of time. I have a Nikon D40 and want to spend about $1200 on good glass. What do I buy? Filter recommendations? Any tips for shooting in the snow? posted by mrunderhill at 5:25 PM PST - 13 comments

The great musical-instrument-on-plane paradox. How do you prepare (what case[s] do you buy and what strategies do you develop) when you need to travel on many different kinds/scales of airlines, with a delicate wooden instrument that MAY or MAY NOT be allowed as carry-on baggage (depending on circumstance, how full the plane is, and how much or little the inspectors care that it looks large, solid and "middle eastern")? [more inside]posted by allterrainbrain at 4:46 PM PST - 14 comments

What muscles are used to recover from a heelside snowboard fall? If one were bad at getting up from such a fall, which exercises at the gym would you recommend to improve? posted by Malad at 4:39 PM PST - 10 comments

This happened to somebody I care about, who could really use a break. I'm trying to help him figure out his options. Money is the biggest factor, the cheapest solution is best. Story: On Xmas day, a young guy is on his way home from family holiday drives a pickup truck with big tires through a snooty part of town. He gets pulled over for littering (flicking a butt out the window). [more inside]posted by anonymous at 4:15 PM PST - 38 comments

Since developing bipolar disorder, and subsequently being out of work since April 2005, I find my motivation and concentration has gone to be replaced by apathy and what must seem to others like laziness. Has anyone else been in a similar situation and got themselves out of it, and if so, how? [more inside]posted by AuroraSky at 3:45 PM PST - 17 comments

NewYearsResolutionFilter: My husband and I want to cash in on the New Year's savings and buy an elliptical machine. Right now, we feel like we're in a little bit over our head. [more inside]posted by theantikitty at 2:53 PM PST - 7 comments

I want to set up a PC as a file server for my Mac. I'll also use it for light video gaming and website testing. What OS should I run? What else should I consider? [more inside]posted by jruckman at 2:37 PM PST - 4 comments

Electronics for dummies? I need something very simple. There is one switch and two wires. When the switch is open, I want wire A to be grounded and wire B floating, when the switch is closed, Wire B should be grounded and wire A floating. Simple as that. What's the very very easiest way to achieve this (preferably using household equipment)? [more inside]posted by grahamwell at 2:19 PM PST - 6 comments

Older Woman. I'm 21 and she is 25. We went to high school together and I was a freshman when she graduated. Is the difference in age still as big of a factor? [more inside]posted by eleongonzales at 2:17 PM PST - 39 comments

What is the most striaghtforward solution for setting up user accounts with quotas for printing on a small closed office network, mixed Mac OSX 10.4 (mostly, PPC and one Intel) and Windows XP (one machine), printing to a HP 3390 laser all-in-one? [more inside]posted by spitbull at 1:47 PM PST - 3 comments

So, I'm going to a New Year's party at a club/restaraunt in NYC this year. I've never gone to a bar in a big city let alone a New Year's party, so I'm in need of some help figuring out what is appropriate to wear. [more inside]posted by rbf1138 at 1:38 PM PST - 11 comments

Anybody else grow up calling a pacifier, a "goots"? I'm not sure if I'm spelling it correctly, but that's how it sounds (rhymes with boots). I'm not Jewish, but that word sounds Yiddish to me. Now I've got a kid of my own, and everybody thinks I'm crazy because I call it a goots. Is it a name brand? West Michigan Polish/Italian slang? Or what? posted by elvissinatra at 11:58 AM PST - 25 comments

I would like to find out how much a particular house was sold for and, in general, what economic conditions are like for a purchase. [more inside]posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:47 AM PST - 15 comments

Will Mini Talk To Katana? I've got a intel mac mini with bluetooth, and a Sanyo Katana cellphone with bluetooth. Is it possible to get them to talk to each other? [more inside]posted by willmize at 11:22 AM PST - 7 comments

I have an audio cassette tape which has been waterlogged and soaked in dirt for over 10 years. What are my options for respooling/fixing the tape with its contents intact? [more inside]posted by 0bvious at 9:45 AM PST - 12 comments

A friend of mine from Taiwan (and living in Taiwan) wants to move to South Africa. She has no idea how to do it, though, and so I thought I'd ask the crew here for ideas! Read on for more info... [more inside]posted by phaedrus441 at 9:08 AM PST - 3 comments

I am looking for an installation guide/diagram of how to install Myron & Davis headrest monitors. The vehicle actually already has the monitors installed, but I would like to know how to get power to them. I supposedly have all of the parts that I need, just no directions. Any help would be apprecialted. Thanks posted by prairiepmb at 8:25 AM PST - 1 comment

General questions about Bluetooth on an old Mac (400mhz g4) and specific questios about bluetooth with a Sony Ericcson Z525 phone using Bluetooth on said Mac. [more inside]posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:01 AM PST - 5 comments

I've just been informed of some things that are going to happen in the office, and will involve several people losing their jobs. I've been given the heads-up so that I can choose if I'm to be one of those people, or if I'm going to get the jobs of 3 or 4 other people when they get laid off. [more inside]posted by slyboots421 at 7:29 AM PST - 18 comments

Afetr years on dial-up we almost have broadband, the trench is dug, the cable guys are coming, there is only one problem. Help me get a string through 200 feet of flexible pipe. [more inside]posted by Xurando at 7:03 AM PST - 24 comments

I need to pick up a mobile phone this week, but I plan to dump it the very moment Apple releases its mobile phone. Which plan and phone should I pick? [more inside]posted by JamesToast at 5:33 AM PST - 11 comments

My sister is in her late-30s and a single mother of one little girl. She's stuck in an endless series of crummy jobs, severely dependent on our mother, and she is incredibly defensive and vitriolic about pretty much everything. I'd like to help her somehow. [more inside]posted by anonymous at 3:58 AM PST - 15 comments

I'm looking for a book of funny drawings of cats from the 1970s.. I've been passed this question at christmas time by my mother, who was asked by a fellow librarian.. A friend read a picture book while at school at an Australian High School in the early 1970s that she loved and has never fogotten. She does not know the title or author but says it was about an artist who drew a cat every day and each day the cat was different. One day it was very thin and slid down grates and through bars, then the next day it was a completely different shape and so had different experiences. Does anyone remember this book? posted by theducks at 1:54 AM PST - 7 comments

We decided to replace an ugly old chandelier today. After turning off the breaker and taking off the chandelier, I noticed there are black, red, white and green wires. The house is circa 1968. From what I can tell there used to be a fan/light. So I hooked up our flourescent dome by matching the wire colors and capping the red wire. Unfortunately, it didn't work. [more inside]posted by mecran01 at 10:43 PM PST - 14 comments

In Eddie Izzard's Dressed to Kill, he says that how people respond to you is based 70% on how you look, 20% on how you sound, and 10% on what you say. What branch of psychology studies these reactions? [more inside]posted by The_Partridge_Family at 5:18 PM PST - 14 comments

Hi MeFi! I'm a motivated college student who wants to do more than just work for the man to earn my tuition this summer. I've decided I want to start up my own lawn mowing business but have no real business experience whatsoever. To the entrepreneurs out there, where do I start? Is this a worthy business venture? If so, how do I aim for success? [more inside]posted by ageispolis at 4:29 PM PST - 17 comments

What is the physically smallest laptop capable of running OS X? I'm only interested in word processing and light web browsing, so I have no prejudice against old models -- in fact, I'd prefer an older model if it's cheaper. [more inside]posted by tweebiscuit at 3:59 PM PST - 23 comments

A few months ago my grandparents bought a computer. To help them fix problems without us driving all the way out to their house every time something comes up, I'd like to install something that would allow us to view their screen and control their mouse and keyboard from home. Both systems involved would be running Windows XP Home Edition, and we both have broadband connections. What is the best, preferably free, way to do this? posted by punishinglemur at 10:20 AM PST - 34 comments

Recently I've been fascinated with the way a good actor doing good voice acting can convey a very specific character in movies or video games. (This may seem dumb, but the Demonhunter Illidan in WarCraft III has a particularly memorable voice). What I'm really wondering about, though, is the fact that all the examples of really effective, specific voice acting seem to be English-based. [more inside]posted by dmaterialized at 8:23 AM PST - 11 comments

December 24

I was cranking out the family christmas email, complete with links to crappy home movies, and I can't get my last little clip made in Imovie. Specifically, Imovie won't let me insert transitions. Regardless of the length of the clips I'm transitioning, the "add" button is all greyed out.
Oh, and Merry Christmas! posted by craniac at 10:59 PM PST - 5 comments

My wife wants to know if it is safe and advisable to clean Medela breastpump parts (tubes and other plastic bits) in the dishwasher. The tubes and so on. Not the pump itself, obviously. [more inside]posted by geekhorde at 9:51 PM PST - 11 comments

what if someone who was renting a car, uh, hypothetically, ran over a curb and damaged a tire rim? would they be smart or stupid to just have the tire replaced before turning the car in? posted by ubiquity at 7:48 PM PST - 15 comments

How can I encode a divx file into the proper mpeg format in order to play it on my sony cybershot digital camera? I have a 2gig memory stick on here and want to use it as a media player. [more inside]posted by allthewhile at 6:11 PM PST - 3 comments

I'm arriving in London on Thursday morning and will have 9 hours to spend in the city. Unfortunately, I will have three big, heavy pieces of luggage with me. I need a convenient place to drop it. [more inside]posted by BradNelson at 4:20 PM PST - 10 comments

Los Angeles Filter: I'm going to be in Los Angeles for the first week of January 2007 and it will be my first time there. What are some things I should definetely see/do around the area while I'm there? [more inside]posted by deeman at 1:13 PM PST - 24 comments

I just finished an excellent book-- An African in Greenland by Tété-Michel Kpomassie-- which details an Togolese man's interactions with the Inuit. I was wondering if anyone could recommend other books which are one non-Western culture's take on another. (To me, at least, the more apparently unrelated the two cultures the better.) posted by bethm at 12:20 PM PST - 8 comments

Anyone know anything about seismic upgrades? We own a 40 year old house in the SF Bay Area, love it, and plan to live in it for years and years to come. However, it's a 1.5 story house built against a hill, with the majority of the house sitting above a two car garage. There's... [more inside]posted by mosk at 10:06 AM PST - 2 comments

I'm leaving for Bangkok in a few days. Although there's info online already , I'd like MeFi specific recommendations on good tailors. I'm looking for business & casual clothing. I am fashion-challenged, so any advice on materials, cuts, and what clothes look good on a not-very-tall guy are appreciated as well. [more inside]posted by yorick at 7:31 AM PST - 5 comments

Here is a tough one : the girlfriend has been seeing two men simultaneously. Me and another one. Now the other man she's been seeing is dead. Should I drop her or should I forgive her ? [more inside]posted by Baud at 3:36 AM PST - 72 comments

Question about infidelity?
My spouse recently disclosed an emotional affair with a coworker that has been escalating for the last few months. There hasn't been any sexual contact so far but there is a fear that it's not far off. She wants to end the affair and has told the lover many times to back off. He basically ignores her and continues to persue, recently telling her he loved her etc. She is afraid of repercussions if she were to file a sexual harassment claim, and she also says she doesn't want to destroy his career. Unforuntately we can't afford for her to leave her job (government employee) and she can't avoid seeing him at least for a couple hours each week. There involvement is becoming workplace knowledge so I am expecting it to get easier for her to claim harassment. It's my understanding that once she told him to back off he is legally in violation if he continues to pursue. My question is can I sue him for trying to break up my marriage and my family, if so what grounds? posted by overweightgeek at 2:44 AM PST - 52 comments

December 23

I am thinking about a visit to Kansas City one of these days. Aside from the delicious BBQ, is there anything else worth taking a look at in this fair city? [more inside]posted by dhammond at 10:25 PM PST - 15 comments

Girlfriend has been told by doctor to have a vaginal ultrasound. He suspects either an ovarian cyst or endometriosis. We live in Seattle; she has no health insurance. Options & advice? [more inside]posted by scaryblackdeath at 7:34 PM PST - 8 comments

This evening some repo guys and a Rentway truck showed up briefly asking for the people that lived here a year ago. This got me to wondering. Wikipedia only talks about the contract aspect. What I don't understand is (a) why don't repo guys take it to court, and if they did why isn't a peace officer or deputy involved in seizures; (b) what keeps them from asking for -my- ID to prove I live here; (c) and what happens if the people they're looking for say they can't enter? I just want to understand more about who showed up expecting to come in my house and how my own rights relate to them. I think they were after the plasma TV that we saw when touring the house last year. posted by rolypolyman at 6:59 PM PST - 9 comments

Does anyone know of a research paper that states recommendations for a product/service/company are liked more? For example, if I recommend a book to a friend, they will end up liking it more. It seems to make sense to me, but I was hoping there was some research that confirmed this. posted by lpctstr; at 6:10 PM PST - 10 comments

I know this almost completely defeats the purpose of administrator privilege, but is there any way to delete/edit data and cache files on an XP network without logging in as the administrator? posted by dgbellak at 3:06 PM PST - 8 comments

Why don't fighter jets (in real life or in those classic movies) have backwards pointing guns and missiles to shoot down their chasing adversaries in dog-fights? [more inside]posted by names are hard at 2:16 PM PST - 33 comments

Route/restaurant/attraction recommendations for a mid-20s couple on their first mini-road trip, which will be from home in Chicago to a wedding in Kansas City? [more inside]posted by asuprenant at 1:36 PM PST - 17 comments

Can people be trained to better withstand or recover faster from sexual assault? I'm thinking specifically of people being sent into situations where being sexually assaulted is a high risk (e.g. law-enforcement undercover in the sex-trade, humanitarian aid workers in combat zones, soldiers)... [more inside]posted by sarahkeebs at 11:56 AM PST - 14 comments

I'm considering a grill/brush guard for my mini SUV. Apart from their main purpose as off-road accessories, are there any real benefits to be derived from installing one on a vehicle mainly used in daily urban commute (collision protection, etc.) aside from cosmetic? Do they void any insurance protection or add to gas consumption? I believe form must follow function hence this query. Thanks for your time. posted by azul at 11:08 AM PST - 13 comments

Who holds copyright to Hearts of Darkness^, and why did they block inclusion of the documentary in the recently-released Apocalypse Now: The Complete Dossier DVD set? posted by mwhybark at 10:50 AM PST - 12 comments

I left my iPod in the seat pocket on a flight from SFO to IAD (I changed planes and went on to ROC) yesterday. I've made some attempts to locate it, but with the holiday travel and the huge backup due to Denver being closed, I'm having little success. I'm jumping through the hoops with the airport and airline, but having a tough time due to the heavy traveler volume. Has anyone else lost an item by leaving it in the seat pocket and got it returned? Any tips? posted by mhm at 10:04 AM PST - 13 comments

Now that Lik-Sang is dead, where do I turn if I want to import games, or even better, electronic gadgets, computers and such. There was one big site I remember seeing (but, of course, can't remember the URL) that seemed to have quite a few laptops and cameras. Where do you import your gadgetry and games (to the US)? posted by Merdryn at 9:33 AM PST - 5 comments

I have a old print I would like more info about. I is by Luc Oliver Merson. The name on the bottom is "Le Repos En Egypt" It has a woman sleeping between the front legs of a Spinx, man asleep on the ground, donkey standing with it's saddle on ground behind it and a fire that is buring out and just smoldering. Any info on this print woud be appreciated. posted by Dale-Mac at 6:29 AM PST - 3 comments

How long does it normally take to get approval of the filing of a federal estate tax return? How about the filing of an Iowa inheritance tax return? eg, how long does it take to receive the tax clearances from the feds and the state authority? If it matters, the returns are being filed by a major financial institution for an estate with substantial assets. posted by america4 at 10:13 PM PST - 1 comment

I want to learn the basics about urban planning, road planning, and how buildings are put together. Everything from skyscrapers to single family houses. I always wonder about the reasons roads are built where they are given the terrain. I'm always staring at high rises under construction to figure out what principles and methods go into their construction. My ultimate goal would be to create a program for generating random terrain/roads/towns/cities etc.. posted by parallax7d at 8:02 PM PST - 17 comments

A friend recently found out she owns a nativity set painted by a local priest who has been convicted of child molestation. As a victim of abuse herself, she wants it out of the house but would prefer to somehow sell it and donate the proceeds to a relevant advocacy group. Is this reasonable or should she just smash it up and toss it? [more inside]posted by mrgoldenbrown at 7:47 PM PST - 28 comments

I was using the headphone jack on my macbook and moved it around slightly when the sound suddenly cut out. I soon realized that the very tip of the headphone plug had broken off and gotten stuck inside the jack, and the rest of the plug remained intact. I tried using a small refrigerator magnet to see if it would draw the broken bit out, but it didn't, and i didn't want to try a more powerful magnet because I don't know where the hard drive is in the computer. I was thinking maybe getting some pointy tweezers and taking the battery out so I don't electrocute myself while poking around in the jack? any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. posted by hidinginabunker at 7:25 PM PST - 12 comments

I just bought a Garmin Forerunner 205. I love it, it's neat, wow, awesome. But I use an Apple and the software isn't compatible. Can someone walk me through how I can get my PowerBook to recognize the unit (and download the data) when I plug it in via USB and if there are any programs I can use that are similar to the "Training Center" software included? posted by tumbleweedjack at 6:02 PM PST - 7 comments

A question for ColdFusion gurus. A guy in our company has used ColdFusion to design a password protected website, and I need to know how it works as ColdFusion is a total unknown to me. [more inside]posted by 543DoublePlay at 5:22 PM PST - 13 comments

What's it like to work in a patent law office? A law office in general? I'm considering applying for an entry-level patent secretary job in Northern Virginia. posted by juniper at 2:30 PM PST - 11 comments

My wife and I will arrive in Stockholm on New Year's Eve, and since we don't have any friends or family in the city we're at a loss over where to go. I'm a student and she's a medical resident so the posh venues that reveal themselves on Google are out of the question. Where should a young-ish couple go in Stockholm to celebrate the New Year? posted by 1adam12 at 2:26 PM PST - 5 comments

I am trying to find an animated musical short (possibly Italian? - it had subtitles) which I saw on television at least ten years ago. It may have been an Oscar-nominated short animation, but I can find nothing at imdb. Description inside.... [more inside]posted by tzikeh at 1:41 PM PST - 4 comments

I saw an CD yesterday in a music store, but now I can't remember the artist's or the album's name. It's electronica (I didn't listen to it long enough to be able to name the sub-genre). The album cover was bright yellow, with a photo of a guy (the artist... I assume) in the middle. He had thick black make-up under his eyes. Oh - and I think it came out in 2005. Please help! posted by smartless at 12:15 PM PST - 8 comments

We are dragging and dropping picture files from a Windows XP PC onto a 256 MB Lexar compact flash card in a SanDisk card reader. The card no longer accepts data after around 125 MB have been transferred to it. How can we fill the card to its full 256 MB capacity to view digital photos in a digital picture frame device? posted by hdfische at 12:05 PM PST - 14 comments

A warrant is going to be issued for my arrest in an hour-and-a-half for passing off bad checks I didn't write. That is, someone has my old checks from a bank account I closed over almost a year ago, and they're now using them. What the hell do I do? [more inside]posted by schroedinger at 10:30 AM PST - 48 comments

I'm looking at get a Doc Johnson Pocket Rocket as a stocking stuffer for my girlfriend for Xmas. Ordinarily I'd order it online but as we're only a few days away from the holiday, can anyone tell me where, besides an "Adult Shop," I might be able to buy this? [more inside]posted by ghastlyfop at 9:59 AM PST - 13 comments

"Yippie Kai Yay Mr. Falcon!" In a censored version of Die Hard II, a dubbed over Bruce Willis exclaims these words as a final FU to the bad guys. Anyone know where I can download this tidbit? posted by jeff_w_welch at 8:15 AM PST - 6 comments

I was fascinated by this post about the changes made to the lyric of "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" between the original and Sinatra's saccharine version. What are some other popular songs which started out with morbid or otherwise dark lyrics only to be "happied up" before hitting it big? (Not necessarily limited to Christmas Carols.) posted by murphy slaw at 7:53 AM PST - 29 comments

A Mexican friend of mine recently used a Spanish phrase that literally translates out to, "The world is like a handkerchief." He says it means the same as "it's a small world." However, he doesn't know the origins of this phrase or why it means that. Being mathematicians, we think it's that any point on the handkerchief can be brought arbitrarily close to any other point on the handkerchief. Does anyone know the origin of this phrase? posted by bluefly at 7:07 AM PST - 6 comments

Years ago my wife and I read a story by Heinrich Böll which I remembered being titled "Christmas Every Day," but its real title is apparently Nicht nur zur Weihnachtszeit (Christmas Not Just Once a Year). This year we'd like to read it to our son, who is now old enough to appreciate its black humor. I thought this would be easy to find in print or online, but I've looked up web and down Foyles, and have had no luck. Can anyone tell me the name of an anthology where the story appears ... or scan it and be my friend forever? posted by lukemeister at 5:49 AM PST - 10 comments

I met a cat in the street tonight and didn't have any ears.
I was walking down a quiet street and saw a white cat sitting in the middle of the street, it didn't move as I approached.
I got to abaout 10 ft and stopped, and called to it. It came over and was clearly not afraid.
It did not have any ears, it had holes where ears would be and the holes were clean, no flaps or raggedy bits.
We bonded easy enough, I was able to lift the creature onto my lap, it was purring.
It was skinny and I think under fed, certainly my own cats which are lean, are much fuller in body.
Why might a cat have no ears ?
Is it an act of malice or surgery ?
Disese or cruelty ?
Birth defect ?
It made me very sad. posted by matholio at 4:44 AM PST - 19 comments

Can I use a video camera to record police officers performing their duties in public, in Illinois? I was threatened with jail tonight by a police officer if I didn't shut off the camera that was filming him. Here is the video with his threats. [more inside]posted by jbb7 at 2:06 AM PST - 30 comments

December 21

Relationshipfilter: My 5month girlfriend suddenly realized she needs space to grow on her own, outside of a serious relationship. How the hell do I do it? [more inside]posted by anonymous at 11:23 PM PST - 30 comments

During Tuesday Night's CSI:NY (the one with a girl stabbed by an ice-bottle), there was a song about midway through that had a catchy, reggae/hip hop beat to it. Vaguely remembered lyrics include something about people struggling, "my feet keep hurting," and "we have had enough." Despite those sort of downtrodden words, it had a very upbeat sound to it. Can anyone help me find it? Google searching has gotten me nowhere. It sounds new and like it would be popular, but I couldn't find it in iTunes top 100 songs either. posted by hihowareyou at 9:50 PM PST - 4 comments

I'm looking for a cable that has the ipod connector on one end and both a cigarette lighter adapter and two male RCA's on the other end. Does such a thing exist? posted by joshuaconner at 8:34 PM PST - 2 comments

How do you get that rich gravy like texture in Indian dishes?
Whenever I make Indian food at home like a Dal or Masala dish I can never get that rich creamy gravy-like quality I get in restaurants. I suspect its because I dont use dairy in my cooking but I dont think they do in Indian food either (aside from the obvious like paneer). I know they use Ghee which is clarified butter but could that be what it is? I thought ghee was more like clear and not very thick. posted by postergeist at 8:06 PM PST - 28 comments

I want to get a pair of opera glasses as a gift for my wife. There are plenty to be found all over teh internets, but I'd like to buy from a brick & mortar retailer somewhere in the DFW area. Problem is, I have no idea who would even sell something like that. Any suggestions? posted by satori101 at 6:51 PM PST - 9 comments

can i get a sweater altered? it's a beautiful piece of clothing, but bunches a bit under the arms. otherwise it fits fine. would a tailor be able to take it in or does this call for a specialist? posted by thinkingwoman at 3:50 PM PST - 6 comments

I just recently turned 25 and have a new desire to join some type of organization. I was never part of a fraternity or any organized social "club". I feel like I missed out. I'm looking for something that is oriented towards personal growth of some type (non-religious), could possibly be service oriented, and has some kind of traditions or rituals. Having to be inducted is a plus, but not necessary. It could be for men or men and women. I would prefer that people would be people near my age as well as older. I know it's a little vague, but I want to leave my options open. What types of groups are out there? posted by ieatwords at 3:38 PM PST - 33 comments

I'm handling a lot of the financial aspects for a small organization that would like to process credit card transactions. It's a non-profit with a small, part-year-only revenue stream. What's our best bet for avoiding insane fees? [more inside]posted by CrayDrygu at 3:28 PM PST - 9 comments

I've heard from 3 independent sources now that there is some benefit to eating within 15 minutes after a strenuous workout. What are the benefits of this? What's the basic physiology of it? [more inside]posted by Slimemonster at 3:26 PM PST - 15 comments

For those of you who live in Western Washington: For the last 5 years or so, I've noticed graffitied pi symbols all around the Seattle area (North to Everett and South to Tacoma). What is up? [more inside]posted by Holygrail2 at 3:18 PM PST - 21 comments

Recently (and I know its obnoxious to not be able to pin it down to a single event), I've been having an issue where my Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer USB (It's optical) will freeze up for a few seconds and then start working. It seems that my XP machine thinks it is being disconnected, as I heard the sound cue for hardware being removed, and then 5 seconds later the re-connection sound.
The thing is, I've had this issue before, and I believe it was resolved with a registry hack, or uninstalling a bit of software, I just can't for the life of me remember which. [more inside]posted by softlord at 2:06 PM PST - 13 comments

Can Flash/ActionScript play multiple audio clips simultaneously, while maintaining sync, over a timespan of, say, 4-7 minutes? Preferably while presenting only one set of playback controls (stop, play, pause, and maybe positioning) to the user? [more inside]posted by baylink at 1:46 PM PST - 4 comments

I'm scheduled to fly out of Seattle (SEA) tomorrow (Friday Dec 22) on my way to visit family in Ohio (columbus, CMH) for Christmas. However, my layover is in Denver (DEN), which seems to be under a couple feet of snow. They say the airport might not even open until tomorrow afternoon... What are my options to make my trip less of a headache? [more inside]posted by johnstein at 12:18 PM PST - 24 comments

Can anyone help me translate Pinyin to English or know of a site that can translate phrases? A friend of mine was sent this, 'Wo zhen de shang ni chu, yen wei wo xi huan ni pe wo de shi zhen' and he has asked my help in finding out what it means. For all I know it could be totally insulting, inappropriate, etc... so apologies in advance if its offensive. Anyone? posted by herword at 11:52 AM PST - 21 comments

I picked-up an old, cast-iron skillet which has seen better days and needs to be stripped and re-seasoned. Problem: I can't get it stripped down sufficiently. [more inside]posted by nathan_teske at 11:26 AM PST - 38 comments

I made the unfortunate mistake of ordering medication from an overseas pharmacy; it was for a drug that I'd originally been prescribed in Europe, which was not available in the US (then.)... [more inside]posted by soulbarn at 10:38 AM PST - 10 comments

Travel & Tourism filter: I've been tasked with teaching a travel and tourism course for the rest of the school year. What would you have loved to learn about in a high school travel and tourism class? Conversely, is there anything that you wish you did learn? posted by maxpower at 7:05 AM PST - 27 comments

My company needs a miracle...and by miracle I mean a web application that can juggle 801 different things and still look nifty. As always, there is... [more inside]posted by Smarson at 6:21 AM PST - 14 comments

I'm writing a load of content for a client and a condition I need to meet is that each of roughly 50 pages must be at least 30% unique. How can I compare them? [more inside]posted by braintoast at 5:11 AM PST - 10 comments

I ripped a DVD with Mac The Ripper. I have a collection of IFO and VOB files on my hard drive. I want to get a movie file that I can then import into iMovie to cut up. What program do I need and what file type should I shoot for? [more inside]posted by Mayor Curley at 4:33 AM PST - 10 comments

Linux compatible MP3 player. I would like to get suggestions for a good quality, Linux compatible larger MP3 player, and it would be nice if it also played Oggs. [more inside]posted by jb at 4:03 AM PST - 25 comments

This year, my family is doing Christmas with ham sandwiches in lieu of the traditional dinner. What are some casual yet impressive side dishes I could bring along to go with this theme? posted by Hot Like Your 12V Wire at 4:00 AM PST - 31 comments

I switched to Aperture from iPhoto and love it, but I miss feeling connected with my old photos like I used to. Help develop strategies to stay in touch with them in Apple's grown-up photo client. [more inside]posted by coolhappysteve at 1:32 AM PST - 7 comments

December 20

Are there really no in-dash hard-drive based car MP3 players (er, under $2000) or single-DIN 6-disc changers on the market anymore? Help me with my broken changer. [more inside]posted by I EAT TAPAS at 10:44 PM PST - 11 comments

I rescued my pup from a local animal shelter Monday and I have a few questions I was hoping someone with some puppy experience could answer for me. She seems to be a lab/pit bull mix and the shelter estimated her age at about 4 months. The vet that spayed her says she is probably closer to a year, but her small size (malnourished at 25lbs) and the small size of her teeth make me think she might be closer to 4 months (the vet the shelter was using seems to be a moron, I'll never take my pup there again).
More inside.... [more inside]posted by TheDude at 9:14 PM PST - 20 comments

I want to volunteer on Xmas in New York City, instead of sitting on my fat lazy ass. What are some good organizations I should contact to offer my services? posted by Juggermatt at 8:01 PM PST - 5 comments

IGN.com posted some of the original concept artwork for the new game, Elebits, and it's graphically stunning. Do you know who the artist is? What other work is he/she responsible for? (Be nice; I'm new!) posted by santojulieta at 6:49 PM PST - 6 comments

How many sides does a circle have? I always assumed the answer was an infinite number of sides. My boyfriend disagrees with me and thinks that the answer is zero. My brother seems to think that it depends on your definition of what a side is. I have searched all over but can't seem to find a definitive answer. posted by Inside Out Girl at 6:47 PM PST - 42 comments

I was at a business hotel a couple of days ago, sitting in the Business Center, when an employee came in with a key or something and touched it to a small metal circle on the casing for the (metal and glass) door. Then he split. What did he do and why? (WAGs are OK but knowledgeable answers preferred.) posted by megatherium at 6:43 PM PST - 20 comments

namemyrestaurantfilter: My husband and I have been planning on owning a restaurant for the last 15 years. Now that we are finally at the stage of getting incorporated, we can't come up with a name. [more inside]posted by saffry at 5:10 PM PST - 100 comments

I have been asked to write a database application that will be running in a storefront situation and will allow the user to enter data on what is sold (in this case, bicycles and bicycle accessories and parts) and generate basic bookkeeping reports (i.e. end-of-day sales, quarterly sales, that sort of thing.) [more inside]posted by evisceratordeath at 3:13 PM PST - 8 comments

I think I'm finally done with undergrad. I have no interest in grad school right now. I don't want a career in my area of study. How does one go about finding a good apprenticeship/internship in an interesting trade? I've been going to school now for around 20 years and I've yet to learn a skill that I can earn a living with. [more inside]posted by Telf at 1:48 PM PST - 18 comments

I need a recommendation for a reliable cab company to take me from Berkeley to Oakland Airport. I do not want to use Super Shuttle or BayPorter because they make stops and pick up other people. I am traveling very early in the morning and would rather spend a few extra dollars on a cab. Suggestions? posted by sara558 at 1:28 PM PST - 5 comments

In OS X, when I mount this new USB drive, a dialog appears with "You inserted a blank CD...." How do I get this to stop showing up? Also, what Volume Format should I use to allow the USB drive to be mounted on both OS X and Windows? [more inside]posted by gwint at 12:16 PM PST - 12 comments

We currently use a very broken system that is barely chugging along. Its server based. Due to our business, we would like to find a web-based system that does all the usual stuff- vendors, customers, inventory, shipping, receiving, etc. It doesn't need accounting as we do that separately. Ideally it would allow us to hook a shopping cart software into it later so that orders placed by our seales people or via the online store would dump into the same order bucket for processing.
I am not looking for an ecommerce shopping cart. I am looking for a sales order system. posted by Chuck Cheeze at 11:42 AM PST - 15 comments

If I use a quote from an internet source (not famous, but from a blogger, etc.) in an art collage, without crediting the source (because I cannot find the source), what possible trouble could I get into? Does this sort of random, "I heard this" violate any kind of copyright law or anything like that? posted by agregoli at 11:38 AM PST - 10 comments

EtiquetteFilter: I had surgery last week and my lovely, sweet friends have signed up to bring a home cooked meal each night until the 29th of December. How do I get them to stop? [more inside]posted by LoriFLA at 11:22 AM PST - 34 comments

*Sigh* I'm having trouble with a college transfer. In short: was going to transfer from a small liberal arts school in GA to GW in D.C. for the Spring. But I found out (probably should have known) that they have nothing left to give me in the way of scholarships/grants. Now what? [more inside]posted by Land Stander at 10:35 AM PST - 14 comments

I'm thinking about installing a remote start system for my car. I'll need to buy an immobilizer bypass for it to work according to my friend... [more inside]posted by aznhalf at 10:24 AM PST - 6 comments

I'll be in New York, staying in a subletted West Village apartment, from Dec. 27 to Jan 6. Although I have plenty of friends who I can hang out at night, most will be working during the day.
I'm looking for either some possibilities to keep busy during the day... these include finding other travelers to go to some more obscure sights, short term volunteering, info about watching taped shows, etc. If anyone has suggestions, or places I can look for activities, events, people, that'd be great. I just don't want to waste my time there. Thanks! posted by sandmanwv at 10:24 AM PST - 9 comments

Can anyone recommend some good stops on Highway I95 between NC and Florida? I'm driving to Florida after Christmas on Highway I95 and thought I'd consult the mefi hive for some suggestions on good stops for food or other things that are worth pulling off the road for periodically. I've driven the route before but I've always wished I knew of better places to eat than the usual chains/fastfood (ugh!) that have saturated the highway offramps. Roadside attractions are welcome, too (but not Pedro's tourist trap emporium at the NC/SC border). posted by runningdogofcapitalism at 10:16 AM PST - 10 comments

I am trying to come up with a solution to play by X-Box 360 on a TV that is downstairs while my router is upstairs. Is it possible to buy a second wireless router (I currently have a Linksys WRT54GC), set the second router near the 360, and then connect the Ethernet cable from the 2nd router to the 360? [more inside]posted by jonshadow at 9:54 AM PST - 17 comments

Bumper question: It seems on many newer vehicles with plastic bumpers there is a 2.5" square that looks like a mini door somewhere on the bumper. What is its function? [more inside]posted by premortem at 9:19 AM PST - 23 comments

How did people describe "electric" experiences before electricity? I got to wondering when someone described the feeling of being pressed up against someone as "electric"...surely people had that experience (for example) before it meant "like invisible power" or "tingly all over"? [more inside]posted by paul_smatatoes at 8:17 AM PST - 27 comments

My husband wants a handheld GPS for Christmas. HELP! I don't know where to get one, how much to spend, will it need tech support? My husband has a Lowrance GPS on his boat so he knows how to use it although he isn't good in other areas like using the computer or even his cell phone. I am thinking of getting him Lowrance, but can I go to Circuit City or Best Buy or should I go to a sporting goods store? posted by chocolatetiara at 8:16 AM PST - 12 comments

My athiestic leanings make me feel extremely unwelcome in my workplace. It's a public school. No one there even knows I'm an athiest. I need advice. [more inside]posted by PhatLobley at 7:13 AM PST - 90 comments

If layers are better for warmth (as I have been told as long as I can remember), why isn't there a blanket made out of a bunch of thin layers fastened together? posted by white light at 6:10 AM PST - 19 comments

I have one year left on my Ph.D. and still have six chapters to write. Does anyone have any advice on writing and time management strategies to help me make sure that I don't run out of time? [more inside]posted by Sonny Jim at 12:04 AM PST - 30 comments

December 19

I've imported photos to my iPhoto library, but left the originals on the wrong disk (external HDD). How can I move the originals to the iPhoto library without having to start over? [more inside]posted by jcummings1974 at 11:22 PM PST - 6 comments

I'm looking for a good book about the political and economic crisis in Argentina (particularly Buenos Aires) in 2001. Documentaries would be good too. [more inside]posted by np312 at 10:06 PM PST - 4 comments

I'm having some trouble constructing a search in the latest iteration of my favorite operating system. I love the idea of Smart Folders, and I keep coming up with cool ways to implement them. But I keep running into problems of two main kinds - not being able to use NOT logic and it not finding things. [more inside]posted by dondiego87 at 8:03 PM PST - 3 comments

Would it be crazy for a family of three to take 4-5 months off to travel the country? What are the main issues we'd have to look out for (I know health insurance would be a big one). And lastly, if we do go ahead and do this, what should we see? [more inside]posted by anonymous at 7:31 PM PST - 17 comments

After running CrapCleaner, I experienced browser crashes in both FireFox and IE when visiting certain sites (e.g. pages with videos like this one, or when opening several MySpace profiles at a time). Also, my Windows Live Messenger shuts down by itself every once in a while. What's going on? I should mention that I've run antivirus/spyware scans. [more inside]posted by catburger at 7:05 PM PST - 19 comments

I recently heard a rumor that after listening to the song "I am the Walrus", Brian Wilson decided to shelve a project that he was working on. The rumor continued, as rumors are wont to do, stating that "I am the Walrus", with its intricate production, finally pushed Brian Wilson over the edge and into Crazy Town. This rumor . . . it's true? So far, the Google has failed me. MeFi music historians, please help me. posted by billysumday at 5:55 PM PST - 9 comments

I want to find some art (for my wall) which has a humanist nature. It should capture that feeling you get when you realize some deep truth in physics or math, or when you're contemplating the universe. Know anything that fits the bill? [more inside]posted by clord at 5:31 PM PST - 23 comments

Where I work we use a web-based "in/out" board to track where employees are, but people are already entering their info into Outlook/Exchange. Is there an easier way to do this? [more inside]posted by damn dirty ape at 3:47 PM PST - 6 comments

A company has asked me to serve as a "lead generator" for them. I will be paid an hourly fee to call potential customers, and then turn interested leads over to the sales team. How do I show my employer what the potential benefit would be vs. the cost of paying me? [more inside]posted by Kibbutz at 3:21 PM PST - 15 comments

I have been tasked with registering for hand tools. I have a general idea what kinds of tools to get, but need suggestions on what I'm missing, where to register and how much to spend. [more inside]posted by chndrcks at 2:54 PM PST - 38 comments

Just curious. If I am sitting on my couch, or lying on my chair, sometimes my cat will come up to me and bump noses with me. I recognize this as a sign of affection or a friendly greeting. Sometimes, it is a prolonged (4-5 second) nose bump.....Now if I should happen to approach my cat who is an another part of the room, and initiate a nose bump, will my cat look at it as a greeting/ form of affection, or will she be thinking 'what is this guy doing?'... Is it a two way street? Or do they only accept affection in forms of scratching their head and behind their ears?........is the prolonged nose bump their way of being super affectionate? I have researched several websites on cat behavior, but havent found a answer close enough to what i was looking for.... posted by TwilightKid at 2:26 PM PST - 43 comments

because i hate disposables, i use a hankerchief. my current method is sloppy, and mostly inolves scrunching it up a lot... i've noted in the past that some "gentleman"-types have a method of folding hankerchiefs to allow for many blows while avoiding ever having to accidentally touch (or even see) snot. any of you have a great method for getting the most blows out of one hankerchief? posted by lgyre at 1:55 PM PST - 17 comments

I work for a small company with less than a dozen employees. We currently have no formal hiring process, forms or other documentation. Scary? I think so, and I need some help to remedy the situation. [more inside]posted by suchatreat at 1:44 PM PST - 4 comments

We have a large closet in our apartment that has always smelled of cat urine. Despite taking every measure we possibly could to eliminate the odor, it still smells, 2 years later. Is there anything left to try? [more inside]posted by catfood at 1:23 PM PST - 27 comments

I have a coworker who not only invades my personal space when she talks to me, but also tends to grab my arm or make other physical contact when talking to me. It puts me into immediate defensive 'fight or flight' mode. Should I bring it up with her directly? [more inside]posted by PWA_BadBoy at 1:11 PM PST - 20 comments

Dream job in the wrong place at the wrong time. Previously on FlamingBore's questions: You'll remember I was looking at relocating to Portland, OR for a lucrative job being tailor made for me. Then it fell through. [more inside]posted by FlamingBore at 12:56 PM PST - 13 comments

What is the Bola Sete song that sounds very similar to a track from one of Coldplay's recent albums 'X and Y' or 'Rush of blood to the head'? Not Kraftwerk + computer love/talk - this is certainly something different. posted by takeyourmedicine at 12:39 PM PST - 0 comments

I'm an amateur classical pianist. I used to give solo recitals at college, and I would like to start performing again out here in the real world. But what sort of group/organisation/event do I need to get involved with to have this kind of opportunity? Could I organise a little independent recital for myself, or is that weird and too egotistical? [more inside]posted by chrismear at 12:35 PM PST - 18 comments

IdentifyThisSongFilter: I have a recording of this song being performed by a local DJ a few years ago. He called it "The Lullaby Song" Searches for the lyrics give me nothing at all! [more inside]posted by Syntoad at 12:30 PM PST - 5 comments

I live in Minneapolis, and I'm trying to determine how I can get the local Chicago channels on TV. I do have Direct TV, but with the Minn/St. Paul channels. Is there any way to do this through Direct TV, and if not, is there any other way to get the local Chicago channels? posted by astorias at 12:22 PM PST - 10 comments

I need to know the cover designer for the Jeff Beck Group's album Beck-Ola. Please note that I do not need to know the artist of the cover image -- I'm aware that the painting on the cover is The Listening Room by Magritte. What I need is the name of the person who designed (or art directed) the sleeve itself. Alternatively, if there is no designer or art director credited on the sleeve, that would be helpful, tpo. Thanks! posted by scody at 11:49 AM PST - 6 comments

I've been asked to bring the ubiquitous veggie tray to my aunt and uncle's house for Christmas Day. What can I do to pimp it up and make it more interesting? [more inside]posted by printchick at 10:33 AM PST - 29 comments

NYCFilter: I am interested in purchasing a massage/spa package as a gift for my female roommate. Preferably located 60's east side or along the PATH route. Any suggestions? posted by bastionofsanity at 9:07 AM PST - 7 comments

I have never seen "Babylon 5," but intend to watch the series via Netflix. However, I'd like to watch the DVDs in chronological order. I believe through a bit of research that I've sorted the discs into chronological order, but would appreciate any die-hard Babylon 5 fans' corrections. The order I'll be putting them in is in the "[more inside]" (Similarly, if said fans see any major problems in watching them in this order, I'd appreciate a non-spoiler heads-up.) [more inside]posted by WCityMike at 9:04 AM PST - 21 comments

How do I disable Firefox's spell check (for a specic field) in Google Docs when on right click I can only get the Google Docs' context menu? [more inside]posted by jacobjacobs at 8:15 AM PST - 2 comments

I'm playing Santa's elf this year, and am setting up 2 computers for my siblings that Santa is bringing them. I need suggestions on software to equip it with. [more inside]posted by charmston at 7:55 AM PST - 8 comments

Where can I find good quality dates? I recently went to a local Islamic temple open-house and they had free dates which were so good I realized I had never had a decent date before. Thanks to God I am now a date convert, but the local stores carry a pale shade of the real thing. posted by stbalbach at 7:41 AM PST - 19 comments

IdiotFilter, Windows XP. I was trying to make it stop telling me, every single day, that my password was about to expire and would I like to change it. [more inside]posted by scratch at 7:31 AM PST - 11 comments

I've recently broken off a 2-year relationship and come to New Orleans as a disaster relief worker (housing inspector). I'll be here for 6 months or might move permanently if things work out. I need help finding places to go, things to do and nice people to meet to help take my mind away from the old life and begin anew. [more inside]posted by Jonasio at 6:51 AM PST - 10 comments

I'm new to Ipods. Could someone please explain how I can convert music I've bought on ITunes to mp3s playable on other type of non-Apple devices. When I backup purchased music, it comes out in mp4 format, which isn't transferable or playable in anything but Itunes or Ipods. posted by quintno at 6:00 AM PST - 14 comments

With all the news lately about carbon monoxide poisioning on the West Coast, I've laid in bed wondering about the carbon monoxide testers we have in our house. How do I know they REALLY work?? [more inside]posted by matty at 5:33 AM PST - 15 comments

I have disconnected the SCART connector between our television and PVR. I did this in part because I think Freeview sends some signal at 4am which wakes up the TV and therefore everyone in the house. Is it really a disadvantage not to use a SCART connection? [more inside]posted by boudicca at 4:52 AM PST - 7 comments

I want a private, metafilter-like blog for a group of friends. So I installed MT. Works great, but the default install isn't the best for people who are not great with computers. All I want is for "post" to be at the top of the displayed blog and it should only allow authorized users to post. How can I do this? [more inside]posted by about_time at 4:44 AM PST - 11 comments

Copyright-filter: "The Public Domain status does not give you the right to resell material unless you have access to the original source and permission from the owner to reproduce the material" What? [more inside]posted by crypticgeek at 4:17 AM PST - 13 comments

I recall (and might be wrong) that there was a recently released report on how Digital Rights Management didn't work - put forward in the UK, or possibly the EU. Any references appreciated (on behalf of a small colony somewhere in the south pacific, currently investigating similar DMCA type legislation) [more inside]posted by Sparx at 4:12 AM PST - 7 comments

When will the UK passenger rail service, particularly journeys on Virgin Cross Country via Birmingam New Street, be quietest: Thursday evening or Friday morning? I'm getting the train home for Christmas from Oxford to Sheffield, and am keen to avoid the annual ordeal of fighting for seats and sitting on the floor outside the toilets. posted by caek at 2:20 AM PST - 9 comments

Name that tune. This[mp3, 100 Kb] is a shamefully crude MIDI reconstruction of part of the tune in question. I'd place it around 1975, Moog type Top 100 pop music; sounds something like Hot Butter but is not. Any ideas what it is? posted by shannymara at 12:19 AM PST - 6 comments

December 18

I have a friend who's going to become a democratic aide on capitol hill. Any ideas for gifts that would inspire, educate, enlighten, or just plain lighten up the situation? Preferably ones that could be gotten easily in a major retail store of some sort. posted by shivohum at 11:59 PM PST - 23 comments

I like to learn things, but textbooks are boring! I find comic books gripping in ways that normal books aren't. Can you all offer examples of educational, information-rich comic books (or, if you prefer, "graphic novels")? [more inside]posted by Deathalicious at 11:33 PM PST - 29 comments

I become dull and emotionless for stretches of 3-5 hours at a time. I don't feel depressed, I just feel absolutely nothing. I can play my favorite, rock-out song and it feels the same as listening to CSPAN. I can kiss my girlfriend and I might as well be kissing my hand. It happens regularly, usually in the afternoon, but not every day. Sometimes coffee or food can snap me out of it, sometimes not. The difference between being in or out this "mode" is very distinct. When I'm not in the "mode", I experience a pretty full, normal range of emotions and I'm not what you'd call depressed at all. Have other people experienced this? Any ideas of what causes it or how I can beat it? I hate missing out on experiences while stuck in this zombie-land. posted by anonymous at 10:22 PM PST - 19 comments

SomewhatObscureGiftFilter: I'd like to buy a Darwin Fish bumper plaque/emblem, and I'd like to have it by December 24. I'm in Ontario (Niagara region). The online options I've found have slow or super-expensive shipping to Canada -- anyone know of a bricks-and-mortar source? posted by ewiar at 7:44 PM PST - 4 comments

My wife once threatened me with death if I ever dared present her with housewares as gifts. "I want real gifts" said she. Fifteen great years later, she wants good bakeware for Christmas. Good is defined as "won't ever rust" and "not that floppy silicone nonsense". So, Mefites, Hope Me! [more inside]posted by Irontom at 7:26 PM PST - 29 comments

iPod connectors: I recently added an AudioVox FM modulator to my cars stereo so I can play my iPod over the radio more reliably than with an iTrip. It works great, but now I have a new annoyance to deal with - two cables coming out of the iPod. One for charging via the cigarette lighter, from the bottom, and one from the top for the audio connection to the Audiovox. I'd like to combine the functionality of these two cables and use a single cable from the bottom of the iPod. How? [more inside]posted by skwm at 7:25 PM PST - 5 comments

I have a passive NHT SW2 subwoofer being driven by an NHT SA-2 amplifier that is supposed to control the volume. Lately, however, the volume for the sub plays at full, irrespective of the actual volume setting on the knob. When it first started, tinkering with the volume control could sometimes get the correct volume, but now it's just at max all the time. [more inside]posted by Gamblor at 6:43 PM PST - 2 comments

For a friend: Name the heroine - similar (looking) to She-Ra but with a purple outfit. Hair: Black/Brown with purple in it. May have ridden a white horse. Help? posted by knapah at 6:00 PM PST - 12 comments

I have the opportunity to visit West Africa, but I do not have health insurance or a doctor. How do I go about getting the vaccinations needed, and how much will it cost? [more inside]posted by Nothing at 5:52 PM PST - 8 comments

A number of years ago, I looked at a house in Easton, CT that included a huge barn that had been a factory/research facility for an electronics company, I believe in the 50s-60s. The technology was supposedly a competitor to stereophonic sound or something. Does anyone have any ideas about what this might have been or any brainstorms about how I might find out more? posted by sfts2 at 5:42 PM PST - 3 comments

WhereTheHellDoTheyGetAllThatData Filter: When someone wants to start a site that requires huge amounts of data like IMDB or Pandora or Last.FM, where do they get the data? [more inside]posted by jxpx777 at 4:07 PM PST - 18 comments

Would a member know what is considered a reasonable and just fee acting as a legal Executor for a person's Estate in the State of Florida? Is there a web site that would provide an estimate of Executors fees handling the disposition of a Florida Living Trust? Thank you. posted by Mckoan1 at 2:44 PM PST - 2 comments

Shopping for a cheap used laptop: What are the minimum specs I should be looking for with respect to CPU, RAM, HD? I'm planning to use WinXP (maybe I'll settle for 2K), Open Office, and FireFox (including some AJAX-heavy web sites such as gmail, Google Docs, del.icio.us), with a wifi card. And not much else. I want to avoid "I'm always waiting for this stupid slow computer!" but not spend much more than the minimum needed to avoid that. posted by Leonard of Vince at 1:30 PM PST - 24 comments

I use Fitday (the Windows program downloadable from Fitday.com) and I don't understand the difference between "oz" and "oz, raw, yields" in things like "Onion, mature, raw" and "Cabbage, red, raw". The "oz, raw, yields" includes "raw" a second time (redundant, right?) and what's with the "yields" as opposed to just "oz"? Anyone know? (Fitday is not the only one with the usage, I believe.) posted by LeisureGuy at 12:10 PM PST - 10 comments

I run operations for a fairly large retail chain in Europe with shops all over the continent and beyond. I need to capture some basic data from these shops that either doesn't exist in our (incredibly complex and fragile system infrastructure,) or lives in systems that don't talk to each other. As is often the case, there's [more inside]posted by Expat at 12:09 PM PST - 13 comments

I'm looking for very easy to use Windows backup software that backs up to a remote (FTP or SFTP) site. Essentially, something as dead-simple and friendly to use as Mozy, but that allows you to specify your own storage. [more inside]posted by miagaille at 11:56 AM PST - 7 comments

Help, am I crazy? I am concerned over my 12 year old son. He has always been a sensitive kid, has a lot of stuffed animals in his room and cries easily, but lately he has started to become very effeminate in his mannerisms. He does play a lot of sports, but he is the least aggressive kid on the team and always afraid he is going to get hurt. [more inside]posted by justamom at 11:47 AM PST - 67 comments

I just had a last-minute flash of inspiration for an Xmas gift for my fiancée: she is interested in making pastries and candies and has an innate knack for it. I'd like to get her some lessons from a pro. Possible? [more inside]posted by redshifter at 11:27 AM PST - 10 comments

Where can I buy electronics online (a cordless telephone specifically) and ship directly to Canada? I tried a few websites: the US based ones don't ship to Canada, and the Canadian ones don't take a credit card with US billing address...
Obviously I am in US. posted by raheel at 9:24 AM PST - 8 comments

Please help me find a plant-sitting nursery! I'll be unable to care for my wonderful plants for about two or three months starting in January and I would love to find a florist or nursery in or around New York City that could care for them for me (for a price, of course). My google-fu is not strong, and is failing me. Does anyone know of such a thing? posted by The Bellman at 8:35 AM PST - 5 comments

I am curious why some email chain letters exist? Why would someone feel compelled to send out an email often expressing a sad or sympathetic event only to inform you of your impending doom if you delete it and do not forward it? Is there some profit to be made for such a thing? I recall snail chain mail where you were to put a dollar in it and pass it which made sense but I am baffled by electronic version of the chain letter. If you pass this on to 10 people you will have a Merry Christmas if not WHOA!!! Good luck! posted by scooters.toad at 8:09 AM PST - 14 comments

WorkGiftExchangeFilter: Got a gift, unexpectedly got another gift, should I return/do something charitable with the second? Of course it's way more complicated than that, so for the brave there's.... [more inside]posted by shiu mai baby at 7:58 AM PST - 13 comments

I'm trying desperately to remember the name of a piece of music (and its composer). It's a twentieth-century piece, and fairly famous. It's quite soft and mournful and titled something like "Miss ______ Died Today." I've known this for years and it's just slipped out of my head. posted by Bromius at 9:22 PM PST - 11 comments

Looking for the title of a book which I recently read a review for. Something related to algorithms for solving common problems or situations. I think it's about applying geekish logic to a non-geek scenario. Unfortunately there's no posted by kaydo at 7:35 PM PST - 14 comments

Nicholas Mosely's Hopeful Monsters has an extensive section dealing with the German Wandervogel movement. Can you suggest any other novels (preferably in English, but auf Deutsch is also acceptable) deal with Wandervogeln or related themes? posted by Chrischris at 7:21 PM PST - 2 comments

Can a black wool overcoat be made less of a lint attraction? I have a overcoat that I am about to give to the Goodwill, because it is like a magnet to lint. I can have it proffessionally dry cleaned, but in about four hours of normal use, I look like a homeless person. Is there a way to treat the fabric so it would be less likely to attrract so much lint? posted by garyfugere at 5:25 PM PST - 7 comments

Can you help me find a book which traverses Russian history from, well, as far back as possible up to the Russian Revolution of 1917? [more inside]posted by The Great Big Mulp at 5:15 PM PST - 10 comments

We're trying to design a choose-your-own-adventure holiday planner in our magazine. What are some examples of efficient, non-linear page layout we could use? posted by stokast at 4:49 PM PST - 4 comments

I recently installed Adobe's Creative Suite CS2 on my MacBook Pro. Since then, I've experienced an almost unbearable slowdown in Word. There must be some connection--anyone else have this problem? posted by bronxteacher at 4:36 PM PST - 15 comments

Mathematicians, I've always suspected there is a real opportunity to exploit the inefficiencies of the online sports betting markets and amateur bettors and make serious money. Have you felt the same way or am I kidding myself? [more inside]posted by vizsla at 11:59 AM PST - 7 comments

How do I keep my two cats from chewing through every wire less than an eighth of an inch in diameter? They eat every pair of headphones that I buy, no matter how well I keep them hidden or protected. Please help! posted by joshers13 at 10:51 AM PST - 12 comments

hey folks! I'm a new to New York-er (the city, that is), and have done some serious googling and asking around in the "real life" and have not had any luck finding smallish stationery/gifty stores that carry paper goods-- along the lines of what are fairly common on the west coast where I'm from. a little bit.. [more inside]posted by ethel at 8:58 AM PST - 9 comments

About a year ago, someone was selling a t-shirt with a red background and a white state of Louisiana with "SOS" carved out of it. Who was selling it and are they still available? EBay returns nothing and Google searches mostly bring references to the Secretary of State. posted by kittyprecious at 6:23 AM PST - 5 comments

looking for the title and author of a children's book about a polar bear. i don't remember the specifics of the story except for the fact that it ends, approximately, with the line:
"polar bear, underwear."
what i remember of the story is that the polar bear is on is way to the shower and involves him stripping down to his "polar bear underwear."
i remember the artwork being somewhat strange. posted by defmute at 12:14 AM PST - 7 comments

December 16

seattle / tacoma folks - i like to watch airplanes take off and land. Suggest a good spot to sit quietly and watch the air traffic at seaTac airport? [more inside]posted by Tryptophan-5ht at 11:54 PM PST - 6 comments

What's the chemistry of playdough?
The recipe for basic playdough is:
2 cups flour, 2 cups water, 1 cup salt, 2 tsp cream of tartar. This plus a little oil and food coloruing + low heat and stir until congealed.
What's the function of thee salt and the cream of tartar? The oil is obviously for lubrication the flour and water are what make the dough through the reaction of starch + heat. posted by singingfish at 8:02 PM PST - 11 comments

I have two DVDs with identical content, both damaged in different places. How can I combine the "good" data from each DVD to make one perfect copy? [more inside]posted by bakerybob at 7:43 PM PST - 16 comments

Any ideas why my Dell laptop's wireless gets 'limited or no connectivity' to a new Verizon DSL wireless modem? Verizon says its a problem with the Dell computer and I need to get Dell to sort out the fault. Dell wants me to pay for the information. I figure Dell and Verizon must have encountered this problem before and hope there's some folks here who know where to get the information to change settings or otherwise set up a configuration to make it work. Suggestions? posted by NorthCoastCafe at 4:34 PM PST - 5 comments

So I wish to purchase a Wii for a Christmas gift. However, there are problems. Taking up residence in front of Zellers might not be an option, and I don't think I have the necessary funds to negotiate a purchase on eBay, with the scarcity premiums and the "Giant expensive package" traps. I live in Canada, and thus the WiiFinder sites I've found cannot seem to help me. Is there anything I can do to acquire a Wii, or do I have to wait until they can actually be purhchased like any regular consumer product? [more inside]posted by tehloki at 4:18 PM PST - 16 comments

As a child, I was an American expat, growing up in Scotland. This time of year I have many fond memories of Christmas Pantomines, Christmas Pudding, Paper Crowns & Crackers, 'Cadbury's Christmas Selection Boxes,' etc.' I also remember getting copies of year-end "annuals," particularly the 'Beano Annual' and the 'Blue Peter Annual.' There were many others, but I am at a loss for remembering their titles. What are/were some of the others published at Christmastime? posted by ericb at 4:07 PM PST - 14 comments

I have an idea that involves cell phones, a web service, and participation from OS developers and designers/printers. It would be a time saver for many people and I am sure could provide profit to major players in these industries. Who/where/how do I get my suggestion out there? [more inside]posted by superdeluxe at 2:17 PM PST - 11 comments

What's the standard dress code for a company Christmas party? It was unspecified in the invitation. The company is a relatively small technology start-up. 60-some-odd will be attending, including some of the (wealthy) founders. Help a clueless non-girly girl who comes from very little money. [more inside]posted by moira at 12:57 PM PST - 23 comments

I'm living in Calgary and ordered a 2007 VW GTI in October. I'm expecting delivery in February or March. I'm applying for work in BC and AB and there's a chance that I might be in BC by then. What's involved with changing dealerships? [more inside]posted by jimmythefish at 12:39 PM PST - 3 comments

GSM cellphones: is there an easy (and legit) way to integrate two phone #s from the same provider on one SIM card so I don't have to lug around two phones? [more inside]posted by moonbird at 12:03 PM PST - 14 comments

I am working on a documentary radio piece and I'm looking for some instrumental music to use in the background. I've stumbled across some great instrumental stuff, but most of it is incredibly sappy. The problem with this is that my story is not. I'm looking for relatively upbeat music, not music to break up to. Can anyone suggest some interesting instrumental artists or collections? Maybe a movie soundtrack? posted by erikcore at 11:45 AM PST - 14 comments

Stupid and ridiculous song (not main theme) that I've seen once on Baywatch that goes, "California, California, oooh yeah". The singer sounds like Bon Jovi or Brian Adams. What is it called? posted by limon at 9:50 AM PST - 3 comments

I have the habit of sleeping on my face, and I wake up looking like I've gone 12 rounds with Clubber Lang. How can I ensure I sleep on my back at night? [more inside]posted by dropkick at 8:38 AM PST - 10 comments

I want to buy 20 acres in Canada so that I have a refuge and a windfall when the coming global apocolypse comes down, I'm ready. Where can I buy now that would be the best investment, esp. for not much money? [more inside]posted by DenOfSizer at 8:31 AM PST - 22 comments

What to do about accusations / insinuations that one can't be trusted hanging out with other people's girlfriends and/or they can't be trusted hanging out with you? [more inside]posted by dobbs at 8:24 AM PST - 18 comments

Real-estate lawfilter: Is it possible to lend money towards the cash purchase of a property by a family member, and then be handed ownership by a quit claim deed, and then take out my own mortgage on that property? [more inside]posted by mert at 3:04 AM PST - 16 comments

December 15

Right now, what are some good places -- in addition to ebay & Craigslist -- to sell used tech gear (such as old PowerBooks and any other excellent-condition but old stuff)? [more inside]posted by lorimer at 11:24 PM PST - 4 comments

I'm looking for a recipe for rolled / stuffed turkey breast that was published in (a Christmas edition of?) Australian Better Homes and Gardens magazine some time in the last few years (which I've since lost). Please hope me! [more inside]posted by obiwanwasabi at 8:47 PM PST - 3 comments

RecurringBillingFilter: As a small-time hosting provider, we bill every month using ModernBill. MB Stopped working about 5 months ago, so about 12-15 clients went unbilled for that time... Where do we land re: back-billing? [more inside]posted by disillusioned at 5:49 PM PST - 14 comments

Recommendations for historical fiction about Paris? I'll be there for a couple of weeks, and have found that historical novels can really help me sink my teeth into a place. I have no particular era in mind, so the period is less important than the setting and the writing. posted by walla at 5:38 PM PST - 21 comments

Temporary fencing question : I'm going to foster a retired greyhound for a few weeks but have to somehow put up a fence on one side of the yard so he won't get over. The length needed is around 8 metres and runs along some hedges on the border of the neighbour's place. Probably needs to be about 5 feet high. I want to do this myself as cheaply and quickly as possible. Any suggestions? posted by zaebiz at 5:35 PM PST - 15 comments

What are some possible career paths or jobs suitable for a helpful, problem-solving, researching, decision-making, disorganized, short-attention-spanned recent college grad? [more inside]posted by phoenixy at 5:35 PM PST - 18 comments

I will be leaving in a month for Jaipur, Rajasthan, to study abroad. I'll spend the spring living with an Indian family, studying international development, and doing an internship at an NGO in or near the city. Afterwards, I may travel around India for a while with a friend. Please give me any and all advice you have about traveling and living in India. [more inside]posted by bookish at 5:26 PM PST - 8 comments

Where can I find a chronological summary by month of America's Vietnam war casualites for the entire war? I've seen a few such summaries for limited years, but nothing comprehensive. Extra credit for a matching public opinion polls on support for the war. posted by Jackson at 5:16 PM PST - 2 comments

Is it okay to mix a dab of foundation with your sunscreen to make an ersatz "tinted moisturizer"? Or will it create a rip in the very fabric of space and time? [more inside]posted by thehmsbeagle at 3:06 PM PST - 9 comments

My 25 year old daughter is worrying me. She self medicates with vicodin to help her through her depression. Lately she has become comatose, falling asleep at the wheel, talking with slurred speech and denying that she is doing any drugs. Her mother took her to the hospital and they advised her to see a psychiatrist. I would like to give her the benefit of the doubt and believe that she is clean but she has a history that can't be denied. My latest thought is that she is doing but is in denial. Is there a definitive test that I can purchase from the pharmacy that would be conclusive. The part about her slurred speech, can anything else be causing this (she is also bulemic). As you can see she has alot to deal with. Any suggestions? I know she needs psychological help but I can't force her and since she is an adult she would not let her mother speak with the doctor. posted by aisleofview at 2:54 PM PST - 20 comments

How come I get acid reflux from fatty foods, but not from dairy-based high-fat foods like ice cream and cheese and not from foods cooked in olive oil? What is my stomach doing differently? posted by joannemerriam at 2:46 PM PST - 6 comments

How much of a performance hit will I take if I install the 64-bit version of Vista and run, for instance, my Digital Audio Workstation in 32-bit WOW emulation rather than running it in native 32-bit? [more inside]posted by adi at 2:33 PM PST - 5 comments

I am helping a volunteer group collect donations. I need something other than a thermometer or a mountain climber to graphically illustrate our progress. HELP! posted by punkfloyd at 1:20 PM PST - 11 comments

I've always been a late-blooming underachiever. Is it time to get off my butt and get out of my lousy part-time job, or should I keep my lousy part-time job because it gives me time to work on my book (I'm writing a novel)? [more inside]posted by frosty_hut at 1:11 PM PST - 10 comments

I often see artists such as David Gray and Dido, or specific cd's such as Bright Eyes' Digital Ash in a Digital Urn listed as electronica. However, when I look at Wikipedia's entry on electronica, the stuff listed there seems to be a much different genre. How would you classify the above music, and what are some similar type artists or cd's? posted by stovenator at 12:18 PM PST - 19 comments

Novels, short stories, movies--all are welcome. I find shadow stories spooky and interesting. My fave was a kid book called "The Shades" which explains how the shadows of people live their own lives. Know of any others? posted by largecorp at 10:57 AM PST - 7 comments

What is the best small digital camera Du Jour? I know this has been asked before, but 6 months can make a big difference for these sort of things.
What I'm looking for is a smallish, light digital camera with a big viewfinder, that takes really good pictures. That isn't too much to ask is it? [more inside]posted by heh3d at 10:38 AM PST - 21 comments

Within the next year I will most likely be moving from Central New Jersey to Los Angeles, CA. I need a lot of insight, suggestions and recommendations in all areas. This is going to be a big big question with lots of little questionlets. [more inside]posted by PetiePal at 9:43 AM PST - 24 comments

[LegalDrinkingFilter.] My hotstuff girlfriend lawyer wants to get an engraved flask for her firm partners. She's trying to think of something witty to engrave on it like "BB&W where it's legal to drink". (Actually more witty than that). Please help us! posted by bitdamaged at 9:40 AM PST - 43 comments

A boyfriend of a friend of a friend claims that he cannot maintain an erection when using a condom because of a heart condition. How likely is this to be true? Or is it just bullshit? [more inside]posted by yeoz at 9:13 AM PST - 44 comments

I am about to create a website for a university class on collaborative ethnographies. What software would suit my needs best? Right now, ExpressionEngine and Drupal 5 are my top two choices. If I am barking up the wrong tree, please let me know. [more inside]posted by billtron at 8:25 AM PST - 4 comments

I just returned from an extensive road trip through Southern Africa including many malaria-prone areas. I took the anti-malaria medication Malarone once a day but missed a dose on the plane home. I received three mosquito bites in Mozambique (a malaria-prone country) the last day of the trip. Should I worry about contracting Malaria? Will the missed dose reduce the medication's effectiveness? [more inside]posted by yoel88 at 7:59 AM PST - 9 comments

I've fallen in love with this rendition of "O Holy Night"[MP3] from last week's episode of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. Now I want a whole Christmas album in that style - either already made or individual songs to make a mix. Any recommendations? I particularly like how the song is still totally recognizable and pleasant, despite having lots of soul to it and cool improvisations. Thanks! posted by rorycberger at 7:57 AM PST - 10 comments

I work for a small non profit who is looking to add a central file server to bring our non existent tech infrastructure out of the stone age. The boss is looking to drop $2,500 on a complete package from DELL, but Im thinking there must be a better and cheaper way to accomplish this. [more inside]posted by jlowen at 7:18 AM PST - 11 comments

I really love the baked-in "Save to PDF" function that OS 10 has. I love it so much, that I often have multiple things that I want to save as PDF. It is a little inconvenient/inefficient to go through five or six pages, hit cmd-p, click "PDF", select "Save as PDF", hit return, hit return again, for each file. It would be much easier if I could punch in one key combo and have the "Save" dialog box come up, with "PDF" in the format. Please help.
Anyone know a way to make this happen? posted by grieserm at 6:42 AM PST - 14 comments

Within the past year, I read an article about a corporation where employees set their own pay. Other functions are similarly innovative. I vaguely remember a connection to Brazil/Latin America.
What is this company? Where can I find more? posted by Korou at 5:20 AM PST - 9 comments

Where on god’s green earth can I find a decent media player to handle my (120gb+) MP3 collection?
I have 120 gb + of music that I can’t seem to get any media player to handle adequately. Any suggestions on one to try? Or how to make the big ones actually work quickly with this many files? [more inside]posted by jkl345 at 11:05 PM PST - 23 comments

So I just got this super cool new watch that plays up to 2gigs of videos on it. It's like Dick Tracy minus the villains. Only problem? The program that comes with the watch makes you encode the videos into something called NXV format. And it's not working right. What can I do about it? [more inside]posted by rileyray3000 at 10:16 PM PST - 5 comments

Within an hour or so after eating or drinking, my urine smells strongly of whatever I ate or drank. Is this an indication that there is something physically wrong with me? posted by anonymous at 9:47 PM PST - 9 comments

I have washed my last load of laundry. Never again. I'm looking for a good laundry service that will pick up/drop off in West Seattle, or if you don't know about Seattle share with me your tips/nightmares for finding a good laundry service. posted by crunchyk9 at 9:28 PM PST - 2 comments

I need to catalogue my non-profit's library of books and videos. We want it to be accessible for students and faculty to easily see what we own and what is currently available for borrowing. I have been looking at LibraryThing, and am pretty impressed, but I can't see a way to incorporate our films, to give each item an id number, or to mark what is currently borrowed or available. Are there ways for me to do this, or would another site/software be better? posted by arcticwoman at 9:25 PM PST - 10 comments

Job interview in west LA, never been to LA before, am spending a few days there. What's the best stuff to checkout in the area to tell if I can be happy living in LA? [more inside]posted by archae at 9:11 PM PST - 15 comments

Is the Mac Heist bundle worthwhile? I'd really like to get TextMate but they're still short $37,000 and I'd hate to pay $49 for everything but the product I want most. Is there any speculation of whether they might just throw it in after all? posted by furtive at 8:05 PM PST - 16 comments

Academics: What's your filing system for academic papers?
As I finish up my undergrad degree and enter grad school, I'm reading a lot of papers. Currently, they're just in a tall stack on my desk and in a folder in my Mac.
I'm interested in hearing filing solutions -- both hard copy and electronic -- for academic papers. posted by pealco at 7:18 PM PST - 28 comments

My family and I will be in New York city for the holidays. My mission: to find great restaurants for Christmas and New Year's Eve dinners. [more inside]posted by clearlydemon at 6:38 PM PST - 6 comments

Most electronics drop dramatically in price. GPS units do not seem to have dropped as dramatically. Is there a reason, or multiple reasons for this? Are GPS receivers fundamentally harder to make for some reason? Is there a licence fee? Have the volumes been too low? Does getting new information for the maps, for car guidance systems, keep the price up? posted by sien at 5:47 PM PST - 19 comments

The NYC Chiliheads Meetup Group (http://hotnspicy.meetup.com/42/) wants to consider possible venues for its future gatherings. We're a group of individuals, drawn from a variety of backgrounds and industries, that simply LOVES fiery, spicy food. Recent outings have taken us to Cho Dang Gol and Brick Lane Curry House. Like-minded AskMeFites are welcome to join us!
What restaurants do you recommend? Why? What cuisine do they represent? posted by NYCinephile at 5:36 PM PST - 6 comments

What is the name and artist of that incredibly bizarre music that was played 6-7 years ago at the Florida Sea World penguin and puffin house? They might be still using it today but I would not know.
I asked several employees and they claimed to had no idea what it was, and they hated it because it played over and over again all of the time!
I can't really describe the music because I have never heard anything like it in my whole life. (it was fairly abstract) posted by santogold at 5:16 PM PST - 2 comments

Can any mefites suggest some alternative barebones PC builders other than Monarch? Looks like they've fallen on hard times just as I'm gearing up for a new machine. [more inside]posted by Jase at 4:10 PM PST - 9 comments

Why don't more herbivores have sharp horns? Some of them do, like the Cape Buffalo and the Kudu, but most have horns that do not seem very useful for defense. Given that the cost in keratin is the same for sharp and dull horns, and that sharp horns don't seem to cause intra-species injuries, why wouldn't all herbivores have razor-sharp horns to defend themselves? posted by turbojav at 2:04 PM PST - 40 comments

Creating a podcast with synchronized images that will pop up at irregular intervals during the podcast. I'll also be showing some very unsophisticated users how to do this in a few months. Which tool is best for the job... [more inside]posted by LGCNo6 at 1:19 PM PST - 7 comments

I just got a new Macbook with Parallels and Windows XP pre-installed. I knew of someone who utilized the accelerometer to be able to flip between OSX and Windows by a slap of the side of the screen. How can I set this up on my MacBook? posted by pelican at 12:21 PM PST - 8 comments

I've bought and read most of David Allen's Gettings Things Done. I've also read a ton of things on line. But I'm still having a bear of a time wrapping my mind around GTD. I feel like I understand it on one level but I don't know how to fit it into my normal daily workflow. What is it that I am missing? [more inside]posted by dgeiser13 at 12:19 PM PST - 25 comments

Is there a term for the close-cropped hairstyle (similar to buzzcuts, I suppose) that a lot of gang members wear? It's not a ball fade, but something like that? I'm thinking of mostly Latino gangs. posted by tommassit at 12:13 PM PST - 18 comments

Regex experts: I need a regular expression to help trim some lines in a text file. I haven't done regex in some time and I'm not having any luck with this. Hope it'll be easy for a wiz. [more inside]posted by Tubes at 10:45 AM PST - 10 comments

In one of Richard Feynman's books, he talks about solving a problem by finding that a 'fact' about (I think) the spin state of the electron was really an assumption. I recall that it could be one of two values, something like T or V, and everybody had assumed it was T without any evidence. I know I got that all wrong, so what's the reality behind it? posted by Skorgu at 10:31 AM PST - 5 comments

It's December 14th and 56 degrees here in Boston. Everyone is walking around saying, "this is global warming." Is this actually a direct effect of global warming or just part of an abnormal but not potentially life-as-we-know-it ending weather pattern? posted by jk252b at 8:58 AM PST - 41 comments

I have a goals & objectives meeting with my boss. Lately work has been hugely unsatisfying, and I feel, moreover, that promises have been broken or infinitely deferred. I have plenty of other work opportunities, it is almost hard to keep them away.
Do I mention that I am seriously considering leaving in this meeting in hopes that it might change things, or just be quiet and leap when the time is right? [more inside]posted by kingfisher, his musclebound cat at 8:51 AM PST - 20 comments

My blackberry 7250 is not saving the contents of notes and tasks since upgrade to Outlook 2007. The only thing being saved is the title. In Outlook, everything looks fine, but once I upload the information to my blackberry, the message disappears. I have not been able to find very much documentation on this subject, and I was hoping someone here might have a suggestion. Of course, if all else fails I could downgrade again.
Second question:
Are there any opensource projects like Outlook that download to Blackberry? (This is what I would really like :) stupid Outlook, I hate you) posted by Knigel at 7:15 AM PST - 1 comment

Any tips on San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina? I'm going next week on a last-minute trip and would appreciate any pointers/recommendations. [more inside]posted by veggieboy at 3:39 AM PST - 5 comments

Imagine a world with no TV advertising, and no sponsorship with TV shows being view on demand and funded by pay-per-view by the viewer. How much would (or should) a TV show actually cost? [more inside]posted by nielm at 3:20 AM PST - 22 comments

Why are people in countries other then the U.S. mostly skinny? It can't just be the Mcdonalds. Could it maybe have to do with weather? or how we grow vegetables? I am in the middle of building a hydroponics plant system which uses nutrients (chemicals) and was wondering if we grow lots of our produce that way and thus are maybe causing more problems for our health? [more inside]posted by Craiggy83 at 11:21 PM PST - 94 comments

Microsoft Access. An SQL "GROUP BY" query. How do I generate the mode of the values that it's grouping, when I want averages in other multiple fields? [more inside]posted by Jimbob at 11:04 PM PST - 3 comments

What made you quit grad school? What was the deciding factor? How did you know it was time to go? Subtle signs? Did your advisor say 'go away'? If you stayed, when did you feel like quitting? [more inside]posted by mariokrat at 10:29 PM PST - 27 comments

I just brought home a big o' 21" viewsonic P815 monitor. It didn’t have the monitor cable, so I used a crappy one I had. I’m noticing a lot of odd “shadow” effects, especially with black text on a white background- the text is clear, but there’s a very light grey echo to the right of it, then a lighter echo to the right of that, and so on. It reminds me of cable "ghosting." My question: is it a cable problem or a monitor problem? [more inside]posted by dogwelder at 8:34 PM PST - 16 comments

I am looking for a concise or idiomatic term that refers to a correct conclusion which is attained through some sort of invalid reasoning. Is there a debate or logic term for this phenomenon? posted by aubilenon at 7:47 PM PST - 38 comments

Is there an adjective to describe a person who believes in absolute obedience to the law, as personified by Inspector Javert in "Les Miserables"? posted by Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese at 7:47 PM PST - 16 comments

I want to send my sister in France an online gift certificate. She has just moved into her new country home there. What sites (useful in FRANCE) would easily redeem the certificate and would also be interesting, ecclectic, fun -- and would give her the best value? [more inside]posted by Surfurrus at 7:34 PM PST - 7 comments

Can you split an .iso (DVD burn image) file in two? I've been ripping all of my Netflix movies into .iso files before realizing that my burning software (Nero burning rom) doesn't split an image file (.iso) that is larger than 4.7gig into two smaller files. All of these movies require dual layer blank DVDs, but since I have a 100 pack of blank DVDs I would like to try to see if I could split the movies to 2 different discs rather than buy the larger blanks. [more inside]posted by wile e at 6:34 PM PST - 22 comments

Stranger, please pass judgment on our most intimate moments! So, my fiancee and I have been in a monogamous relationship for 8+ years, and the only method of birth control we use is condoms. Are we stupid? [more inside]posted by Ignatius J. Reilly at 4:27 PM PST - 54 comments

Is there a way on Microsoft Word to alter the file properties so that
the document appears to have been created on a different time/date? [This question asked on behalf of another member.] [more inside]posted by Arcaz Ino at 3:04 PM PST - 15 comments

Floppy Laptop Lid: Toshiba Satellite 2450 (bought in Canada, FWIW). The lid is flopping around. Are there any online tutorials/instruction manuals for how to fix this annoyance? Can it be done without spending $ or ordering parts, etc.? Thanks. posted by rumbles at 3:00 PM PST - 3 comments

I'm looking for a file repository application suitable for managing a software collection plus storing metadata about each program (version, developer site, dependencies, that sort of thing - I'll need to have some custom fields also). This is for private use, I'm not recreating Sourceforge or Freshmeat, so lightweight is better. Must run under OSX or LAMP. Suggestions? posted by scalefree at 2:41 PM PST - 6 comments

[Digital Camera N00b Filter] I took a bunch of photos on my new camera (Canon Rebel) in RAW, but when I use the software that came with the camera it uploads them onto the computer as .avi files that I can't open. At one point I managed to upload them through another program as .crw files, but I still didn't know what to open them with (photoshop didn't work). How do I make them pictures again? posted by elr at 2:35 PM PST - 8 comments

Any advice or resources on best practices when designing printed forms in InDesign CS2? I have a registration form to design (and will have several dozen others to redesign in the new year) and would like to do things right the first time. [more inside]posted by bcwinters at 1:54 PM PST - 4 comments

I've spilled some chicken noodle soup in my car. I wiped up what I could with napkins, but some of it soaked down beneath the surface of the seat. I suspect my car will now smell like chicken broth. What can I do? posted by ignignokt at 1:17 PM PST - 13 comments

Is frequently wearing hats a bad idea if you have dandruff? Some days it's cold enough to warrant a hat, but mostly I just like hats and not having to do my hair. Would styling it with hair product be any better or worse? posted by luftmensch at 12:59 PM PST - 5 comments

work related question. A co-worker I work with very closely threatened my verbally and physically, claiming I was doing a poor job. I reported to my supervisor, and said co-worker denies it.
What should I do (other than quitting, but I like the job) I have been there 3 years and this came out of the blue. I feel now I have to resign.
Suggestions? posted by cvoixjames at 12:31 PM PST - 39 comments

I need to ship a car from New York/NJ to San Francisco area on Dec. 15. Online info for such services seem dodgy. Any recomendations or warnings? [more inside]posted by zaelic at 12:23 PM PST - 13 comments

(not cookies) food gifts. I'd like some recipes for not too expensive, not too hard to make, but stunning food gifts that are easy to package and give away for the holidays. Got any gems you'd be willing to share? [more inside]posted by nnk at 12:10 PM PST - 35 comments

This question is for women who have used online dating : What are your most common reasons for breaking off an email exchange with a man who you met through online dating? Also, once you have given the man your phone number, and he calls you, what are your most common reasons for not returning the phone call? [more inside]posted by kenoshakid at 11:42 AM PST - 43 comments

[Dental Filter] So, my gums are doing an awful lot of bleeding. It will be at least four months before I can go to the dentist. What can I do about this in the mean time? [more inside]posted by EatTheWeak at 11:08 AM PST - 29 comments

Korean Language XP Operating System
Can I buy a "Korean Language XP Operating System" here in the USA ?
I want to get a Laptop in Korean Language. Where can I get one ? I called Dell and they did not have one in the USA. From what I understand one has to buy it from Korea itself.
Thanks. posted by endlessknot at 10:44 AM PST - 8 comments

What video clip out on the net is considered to be the first "internet video star", rising to making international news or headlines? [more inside]posted by randomthoughts at 10:42 AM PST - 20 comments

Ephemeral films: You know, those films by Coronet, Jam Handy, Centron, etc, that were shown in classrooms in the 1950s-1980s.... Where can I find scholarly literature / books on them? I'm really struggling on finding sources, and I'm writing a paper comparing them to Noam Chomsky's propaganda model in Manufacturing Consent. Any suggestions? I've got access to scholarly journals through the school library, but I'm uncertain as to what to search for. posted by fvox13 at 10:12 AM PST - 10 comments

I am considering making the switch to the Mac, and I am wondering how you all convert an e-mail to a task or appointment in OSX. In Outlook, I just drag it to the Calendar or Tasks button (or use one of the ClearContext buttons). I understand this does not work in Entourage. [more inside]posted by 4ster at 10:10 AM PST - 7 comments

Last week, I had my second early miscarriage. In addition to a battery of tests I'm trying to convince my ob/gyn to give me, I'm also considering treatment with acupuncture. [more inside]posted by discokitty at 9:34 AM PST - 20 comments

My teeth have been in disrepair for several years now, and I've been saving my money for nearly as long to have them extracted (and replaced by dentures) en masse. Unfortunately, I discovered yesterday that at least one tooth has grown impatient with that schedule. [more inside]posted by The Confessor at 9:22 AM PST - 11 comments

We have a family of five;1,2&8 yr old boys and us. Can anyone recommend
a great all inclusive resort on the southern tip of the Baja? Kid friendly, beautiful, good food etc.
Thanks,
Gina et all posted by gina at 9:10 AM PST - 1 comment

Listening to this story about hospital interns on NPR yesterday got me thinking about the practice of interns and residents working around the clock. What is the purpose of this? [more inside]posted by Nathanial Hörnblowér at 8:28 AM PST - 44 comments

My cousin appears to have an abscessed tooth. She's uninsured, broke, and in desperate need of a prescription for antibiotics so she can sleep and work. How can we do this as quickly and cheaply as possible? [more inside]posted by polyhedron at 7:34 AM PST - 13 comments

December 12

If you've been to Barcelona and if you've seen the movie Auberge espagnole, L', would you say that the movie does a good job of depicting what the city is like? [more inside]posted by willnot at 11:38 PM PST - 16 comments

Recording live television onto a computer? I'm NOT looking for a HD quality picture here. Just bare minimum; choppiness in the video stream is my enemy.
I've tried a tv-to-usb adapter on a couple of computers I have, with the recording software set at BARE MINIMUM settings (ie, about a 5 inch by 5 inch picture, with audio and video settings set very low if not on the lowest settings). [more inside]posted by jak68 at 9:57 PM PST - 18 comments

At Body Art Ink in Myrtle Beach, I saw a picture I really wanted as a lower-back tattoo--a lion lying on his back with a girl straddling him. Does anyone know the picture or where I can find it again? [more inside]posted by Cricket at 9:22 PM PST - 5 comments

TelephonyFilter: Is there any Internet telephony provider that will allow you to receive incoming calls, but does NOT require that you have voicemail service? When I spoke with representatives at Skype, they said that the voicemail feature can not be disabled. I would be more than happy to use Vonage, however, due to the way my Internet is set up, it doesn't work (a known issue with this particular ISP). All I want is some way to set up a phone number and receive incoming calls ONLY--with NO voicemail, NO forwarding, NO call waiting. Is there any such service out there? posted by polexxia at 9:03 PM PST - 7 comments

How can I forgive my SO for hurtful things done (and apologized for) in the past? I'm having a really hard time moving on and moving forward due to my inability to forgive. [more inside]posted by zoey08 at 7:43 PM PST - 22 comments

I want to use the myth of Pandora's box for a project. I was hoping to find some text written out in the Greek alphabet to use as part of the project. [more inside]posted by eggplantia5 at 7:42 PM PST - 5 comments

Looking for an iTunes-like system that permits users to access a library of assets that can be swapped in and out of preset Flash templates. Must run a local dbase containing all assets and templates... [more inside]posted by pallen123 at 6:34 PM PST - 0 comments

In product design, how do they quantify biomechanic or ergonomic "ease of use"? Do they measure forces or torques needed to use the product, and if so, how? Do they count the number of muscles involved in its use? Do they just try it out on a lot of people? [more inside]posted by unknowncommand at 6:26 PM PST - 9 comments

In Toni Morrison's 'Beloved', there's some part where—I think a guy gets to sleep with someone he's wanted to in a shed or something—so a motif about this guy's heart being like a closed black tinderbox or somesuch is brought up and upon that moment, he feels that there's a beating heart in there with red blood & the works. Ring a bell? [more inside]posted by Firas at 5:02 PM PST - 10 comments

why did monitors switch to buttons with menus for controlling brightness and contrast, rather than knobs? knobs are so much faster and easier - it was like a dimmer switch for your desk! posted by wumpus at 4:44 PM PST - 18 comments

As part of my Peace Corps application procedure, I have been asked to do some volunteer work with an organization that assists people with HIV and AIDS. [more inside]posted by bryanzera at 4:09 PM PST - 6 comments

I've already got the xmas gift figured out, now I'm trying to figure out how to give it...so what are some creative/clever/funny ways you've given gifts? [more inside]posted by 777 at 4:00 PM PST - 26 comments

Where should we celebrate New Years in Los Angeles?
My friends and I are coming down from San Francisco for New Years, and we're looking for something fun and cool to do on NYE. Everything we've found so far is at some big mega-club and costs like $125 to get in. Yuck. [more inside]posted by dennis at 3:59 PM PST - 6 comments

I'm using Eclipse with Subclipse. Until recently, in Eclipse's Navigator window, there were little icons on each folder and file telling you if they had been changed since the last commit. The icons have gone. How do I get them back? [more inside]posted by matthewr at 3:49 PM PST - 4 comments

Can somebody please help me find a free, onlineEnglish version of Julio Cortázar's short story, "La Casa Tomada" (A House Taken Over)? I had found one a couple months back but forgot to bookmark it and now that I badly need it, I can't find it. [more inside]posted by Malachi Constant at 3:33 PM PST - 5 comments

Playlist filter: Songs TO children (not FOR children). I am looking for songs written to a child or children, whether in fact, or in your perception. What I am NOT looking for is children's music. NO Barney, The Wiggles, etc.
Example: "Fix You" by Coldplay posted by clh at 2:55 PM PST - 90 comments

I'm trying to find a place to a really nice set of steel tipped darts/flights/case in New York City. There used to be a great store in the low 20's on the East Side. Does anyone know a place? posted by Shanachie at 2:10 PM PST - 2 comments

Do HIPPA rules apply to health care professionals when they discuss health problems/treatments of friends and family members when they are not professionally involved with their treatment? posted by Raybun at 12:56 PM PST - 15 comments

My (non-existent) ideal device is a Treo -- with wifi, GSM/GPRS, and either EDGE or HSDPA -- on a service plan that includes flat-rate unlimited data, flat-rate international data roaming, and a small amount of voice usage inside the U.S. (say 100 mins/month). So, in the real world, is a Blackberry 8800 on T-Mobile my best choice for a plan starting in spring 2007? [more inside]posted by allterrainbrain at 12:47 PM PST - 15 comments

I want a free-as-in-beer way to put in a ZIP+4 postal code and get back a latitude and longitude. Unless that's more precision than I need for terrestrial astronomy. [more inside]posted by pax digita at 12:04 PM PST - 6 comments

I've never gone skiing or snowboarding before, but I'm going on a co-worker outing in January to a ski resort for one day. I've decided to take beginner lessons in one - but which one? What would you recommend and why? [more inside]posted by evadery at 11:34 AM PST - 34 comments

This is driving me nuts. I'm trying to remember the name of a site that offers general how-to information and contains the word "squid" or something like it in the URL. In content it's not unlike makezine or instructables, but less specifically hands-on. Am I crazy? Was/is there such a site? posted by Pliskie at 10:59 AM PST - 8 comments

My girlfriend loved the game "Big Kahuna Reef" but now everyone is playing and creating levels for "Big Kahuna Reef 2" - which is not available for macs (our only computer). Any ideas for similar puzzle based games? posted by guruguy9 at 10:56 AM PST - 3 comments

GiftIdeaFilter (sorry): I'm looking for suggestions for poetry books for an 8-year old girl. She's an excellent reader and likely well above her target reading level. I thought introducing her to poetry might be a nice change of pace... preferably something she won't finish by supper. Thanks! posted by Witty at 10:48 AM PST - 30 comments

Please help with suitable nightlife (good bars) in Monterrey, Mexico. From the U.S. and looking for something cool/funky. No dance clubs please. Will be here for three nights and located downtown. Willing to taxi anywhere. Local flavor a plus. Thanks. posted by repoman at 10:06 AM PST - 3 comments

My Flexible Spending Account (FSA) has about $250 left on it to be used by the end of December - it's use it or lose it, so I'm looking for ideas on the most useful things I can spend this money on within the next 3 weeks. I am potentially interested in stocking a basic medicine cabinet items that would be useful for a baby/ small child. [more inside]posted by netsirk at 10:00 AM PST - 25 comments

Where do sites like Pandora & Last.fm make their money? I use both sites and others that have no or limited advertising and I'm very curious as to how they can support good looking websites with some degree of infrastructure behind them (staff, music rights etc). Also I'm keen to find out how I would go about pricing up my idea for a site that works in a similar vein but with a twist... [more inside]posted by mjlondon at 9:39 AM PST - 13 comments

I would love some examples of high end print design workflows, especially database driven ones. Store circulars, flyers, etc. The more complete the workflow you can describe, the better. [more inside]posted by Brainy at 9:11 AM PST - 4 comments

My wife got into a car accident last week. I wasn't with her, The story is, someone cut her off and slammed on the breaks and she had to turn to avoid him, she over turned and someone else almost hit her so she turned again and the car started rolling. it was an SUV and that made the flipping so easy. She is unharmed, she did not hit anyone, but the car is totalled. [more inside]posted by convex at 8:58 AM PST - 15 comments

I run AdSense on my blog, and burn my feed with FeedBurner. I would love to advertise within my feed with AdSense for Feeds (AFF) rather than the Feedburner Ad Network but AFF seems to have dropped off the face of the earth. Does it still run, and how can I get into the program? posted by mutantdisco! at 8:42 AM PST - 4 comments

Looking for a site where I can enter a portfolio (stocks and funds) and generate an RSS feed that gives daily breakdowns of how each stock is doing. [more inside]posted by electric_counterpoint at 8:18 AM PST - 3 comments

Help me figure out how find my perfect place to live: someplace temperate to warm, with a low cost of living and a growing population and economy [more inside]posted by objdoc at 8:12 AM PST - 35 comments

Bit out of shape, me. Would like to fix that. Our office has a small gym. In this gym is an expected fleet of treadmills, stationary bikes, free weights and a single stair-climber. We've got shower, locker room and changing facilities as well. Given these tools available, what would be my best use of them? Workout before work? After? And which for how long? [more inside]posted by grabbingsand at 8:11 AM PST - 16 comments

Over the weekend, I shall be building a Shuttle SK21G Barebone PC system. Given that I've only built about 4 computers (all of which worked fine) and never a Shuttle, is there anything you can tell me or websites I should read which will make the building process go smoothly? [more inside]posted by mr_silver at 8:09 AM PST - 16 comments

How to calculate hardware requirements for a load balanced web server cluster? The web servers will be running Windows 2003 with a back end DB server, I want to support about 1000 simultaneous connections per server. The web application is fairly AJAX intensive. Not sure how I go about determining what sort of hardware I need for the servers, any ideas or suggestions? posted by RedMosquito at 7:03 AM PST - 6 comments

Sushi! Having read previous questions I'm full of enthusiasm for the end of my sushi-making virginity. To help make it a joyous occassion for all, what are you favourite sushi recipes? [more inside]posted by twirlypen at 6:40 AM PST - 15 comments

I have a SATA hard drive with all my data (yeah, I was just about to implement a backup scheme with rsync...), and my Ubuntu installation shit the bed. I'm back up, but the partition table on that drive is kablooey. It is formated ext3, and I have little reason to suspect that the data is not there.
Are there any good tools for restoring a partition table on ext3, or can this be done natively? Gparted shows the file system marked as ext3, but with a warning about not being able to open dumpe2fs. [more inside]posted by adampsyche at 6:38 AM PST - 5 comments

I need to add a zip code proximity search to a site. I have the registration form configured so that it stores a user's zip code with his/her profile. Now I want to give the option to "Show all users within X miles". Does anyone know if there is a web API to handle this? [more inside]posted by GatorDavid at 6:34 AM PST - 10 comments

At 25 (6Ft, 68KG), I suddenly developed a fat stomach that now goes a bit over my belt. This happened suddenly over 3 months, so fast that it feels all wierd, like it is not my body. I know that many guys have big stomachs, so I'm not sure if my case is normal or not.
That's my question - did you develop fat around the stomach suddenly, or did it come gradually? [more inside]posted by markesh at 4:37 AM PST - 30 comments

I'm going to visit my boyfriend's family with him over New Years weekend, and he just casually mentioned to me that there'd definitely been some skiing involved. I've never been skiing before, ever. What should I expect? [more inside]posted by sherber at 12:26 AM PST - 29 comments

December 11

Is Sirius going to take over XM? The fat kid that smelled liked cabbage who works in the car audio section at Best Buy said it was likely.... [more inside]posted by Dr. Lurker at 11:42 PM PST - 30 comments

I'm an irresponsible guy with a really horrible memory dating a very responsible girl, and I keep fucking things up between us by forgetting things, screwing up schedules and things like that. It's not just things like the date we started going out, her birthday, or whatever (this sort of info is on my calendar just not in my head). It's things like the time we're going to meet, or where she's going to be at a specific time. I've always been so bad with dates and times and schedules that if I don't have absolutely everything written down then SOMETHING will be completely forgotten. I write down when dates are going to be, I copy her class and work schedules into my calendar, all that sort of thing, but I fuck some things up and it really upsets her. [more inside]posted by shanevsevil at 10:26 PM PST - 28 comments

One feature of the New Yorker's recent 'Cartoon Issue' was a two-pager by their regular, Roz, documenting her reaction to manga. So... what was that thing sticking out of her friend's head? [more inside]posted by Rash at 10:22 PM PST - 5 comments

Dirty, gross refrigerator in garage. A bit of mold inside and lots of black stuff filling every crevice. Mechanically sound, but is it possible to get it clean enough to use again? [more inside]posted by cleve9 at 9:02 PM PST - 18 comments

I run a community website that receives around 2 million pageviews a month. I'm finding that I don't have the time to run it these days - and I'm considering selling the site. It's in kind of a "hot" area and I think I could sell it for $2 million. [more inside]posted by anonymous at 8:55 PM PST - 15 comments

A lot of the studies I've googled indicate that there is a non-intuitive relationship between skim milk and obesity, at least in children. Does this extend to adults? Could someone explain how whole milk makes you lose weight? posted by anotherpanacea at 8:52 PM PST - 11 comments

Looking for creative writing classes in the DC area. I have DC residency, so community college classes in MD/VA are out. I've taken one expository writing class before and am a voracious reader, but I havent really done much in the way of a class setting before. I'd like to take a class, also for the peer review aspect and some help getting started on writing! Anywhere that's cheap in the DC region is fine. posted by jare2003 at 7:52 PM PST - 7 comments

When you open a .doc out of a yahoo email (just open - not downloaded) then edit it, and click the save icon, where does it go? What happens after you close that window? [more inside]posted by amethysts at 7:36 PM PST - 11 comments

Does the current paradigm of Mental Illness having an underlying physical and biological basis (say, due to a chemical imbalance) negate the concept of Free Will?
Also, where can one read more on this issue? posted by sk381 at 6:00 PM PST - 23 comments

One of my G4 iBook's hinges has a crack and it's spreading. Should I be worried? Is there likely to be any hassle getting it fixed under warranty? [more inside]posted by mce at 4:21 PM PST - 3 comments

What are some memorable news stories this year that could be easily turned into company contest fodder, and how can I go about doing it? [more inside]posted by geronimo's folly at 4:00 PM PST - 3 comments

I saw on the news tonight that there was a sect of radical orthodox Jews (some type of haredim? chasids?) attending the Holocaust denial conference in Tehran, Iran. I know some ultra-orthodox groups deny the legitimacy of Israel based on Scriptural reasons, are these the same guys? Who are they and what is their reasoning for denying the Holocaust? [more inside]posted by Falconetti at 3:51 PM PST - 18 comments

How do I POST a file using php? Not POSTing to a PHP script but using php to read a file from the file system and POSTing it to another site. The site I am working on doesnt have cURL but fsockopen is available. posted by Pasa la bola chetu at 3:34 PM PST - 5 comments

I'm having a few people over one evening "for cocktails." In order to provide a decent repertoire of standard cocktails, what should I stock my bar with? [more inside]posted by jacobm at 2:38 PM PST - 41 comments

Anyone know of a firefox extension/greasemonkey script that would cause all nytimes.com articles to automatically open in the "single page" format. I read the whole paper online, and it's really annoying to have to click the "single page" button for every article that's longer than one page. Alternately, how hard would it be to write such an extension/script? posted by ericbop at 2:22 PM PST - 3 comments

I have a double sliding glass door in my bedroom that leads on to an enclosed porch. These doors are slightly bowed outward away from each other, which leaves a gap about the thickness of my finger in the middle. In Beijing, in December, with prepaid utilities and heating that's barely adequate to begin with, that's not a good thing for my wallet, conscience, or bodily comfort. So how can I McGuyver this gap shut? [more inside]posted by saysthis at 2:07 PM PST - 17 comments

I'm looking for a young adult collection of ghost/scary stories I read in middle school (1980s). It was illustrated by Edward Gorey and contained a story about a young girl who discovers a creature of some sort living in a quarry near her home. She becomes obsessed/infatuated with the thing and frequently visits it. I remember strong sexual undertones in this story. [more inside]posted by anonymous78 at 2:05 PM PST - 3 comments

SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS: David Lynch's Inland Empire. What does it all mean? I have developed some theories and read some others, but I'd love to pick the Metafilter Brain Trust. posted by Sticherbeast at 1:13 PM PST - 6 comments

Calling all Linux-minded MeFites: Please answer several questions related to kernels, upgrades, and Slackware 11. The last time I tried this I was left with a dead server. Help me do it right this time 'round. [more inside]posted by caution live frogs at 12:56 PM PST - 13 comments

Phrases like 'the news about an event has become more important/more real than the event itself' are commonplace. Where did this kind of media criticism start? Who is known for having said this? posted by Termite at 12:16 PM PST - 8 comments

Any way around these two (Mac) iTunes annoyances? First, iTunes apparently cannot remember my password for "Check for Purchases". Second, iTunes always jumps the focus back to the next song it's playing despite how much further down I'm browsing and adding songs to playlists. [more inside]posted by ontic at 11:33 AM PST - 11 comments

What kind of pictures (photos) render best on canvas. I am trying to get a large sized photo-on-canvas frame from a night-time city shot. The picture I have in mind are night time photos of city skylines (manhattan from brooklyn) Would this look good when converted to canvas ? What other suggestions does the hive mind have when it comes to shooting digital images for framing on canvas posted by cusecase at 9:45 AM PST - 7 comments

The other night I saw a woman with many tattoos - one of them was of a pair of worms that had the heads of a perky boy and girl. I know I've seen this image before but my searching has been in vain. Does this sound familiar? posted by pinky at 9:29 AM PST - 17 comments

Can anyone tell me where to find erasable, colorful markers for a chalkboard? Specifically, the vivid ones you see used at Starbucks and other merchants? [more inside]posted by docpops at 9:12 AM PST - 6 comments

I've messed up my boot loader. I have a (working, legal) XP installation, but it won't boot, and I don't have any Windows installation media. How can I fix it? Linux, Windows and general stupidity feature in the creation of the problem, and getting the computer ready to give away in time for Christmas is the aim. [more inside]posted by handee at 8:52 AM PST - 9 comments

Calling experienced cooks: What would cause pancakes to come out dull and tortilla-like in appearance rather than a scrumptuous dark brown? [more inside]posted by chef_boyardee at 8:33 AM PST - 27 comments

I've been trying unsuccessfully to figure out how to route a channel in a piece of plexiglass for quite a while and now, having run out of ideas, I turn to the hive mind for help.
I've tried both a Dremel and a full-size router, but since they both spin at high RPMs (even at the Dremel's lowest setting), the plastic winds up melting and burring all over my bits as well as turning opaque due to the heat. My goal is to make the channel as translucent as possible, and I believe that I can put the plexiglass sheet in an oven after routing causing the plastic to smooth out and clear up any opaque areas caused by roughness. Can anyone recommend the proper combination of tool, bit, speed and technique to achieve my goal? Note that I am not wedded to plexiglass; I just need a very translucent material that I can carve channels into. [more inside]posted by mjbraun at 8:21 AM PST - 14 comments

How do I dress for court? I'll be a factual witness against the defendent, and may or may not be asked to answer questions, dependent on how everything goes - if I testify, my input is extremely important to the case. It's important that I appear (in both manner & dress) as respectful, calm, matter-of-fact (casually confident), honest, ladylike, etc. I am all those things, but... [more inside]posted by LadyBonita at 8:12 AM PST - 22 comments

Does anyone have any recommendations for places to stay in Killington (VT) in January? I'm looking for house for a large group (20-25 ppl) for a ski retreat weekend. I've been looking online, but I'm not too sure where to start looking and a lot of the places I have found seem to be booked. [more inside]posted by ruwan at 8:04 AM PST - 6 comments

I need help locating a certain brand of cologne requested as a charity gift. The request is from a 14 year old male, and who wants "Sexy" cologne for men. On-line searches just seem to turn up "Very Sexy for Him" by Victoria's Secret. I'm not sure that is the right one. Any ideas, or thoughts on possibly substitutions? I know from my teacher friends that Axe body spray is all the rage with teen boys right now. posted by socrateaser at 7:25 AM PST - 18 comments

I am leaving this job at the end of the week, and I want to get every last single one of my files off my computer and leave it as clean as possible for the next person.. [more inside]posted by By The Grace of God at 6:41 AM PST - 15 comments

The company I work for has expressed interest in purchasing a software product I've been developing privately. How do I go about doing this so I don't get screwed? [more inside]posted by saraswati at 6:28 AM PST - 9 comments

I've got the opportunity to do an American Exchange next Autumn from my UK University for about 15 weeks. What are the key culture changes that I'll experience? Of course, there's [more inside]posted by philsi at 3:56 AM PST - 17 comments

I'm trying to find some nice handkerchiefs for my lady. She uses them instead of tissues, and is often running out of them, so I'd like to shore up her supply. [more inside]posted by breath at 12:16 AM PST - 10 comments

Mechanic Filter: Someone left me a '98 Honda Civic that has been stored for 6 years it seems. VERY low miles lol. What do I tell the mechanic(s)? [more inside]posted by prodevel at 12:15 AM PST - 13 comments

Looking for a Snow Globe with a stripper in it.
Preferably with dollar bills as snowflakes.
No luck on ebay so far.
Any suggestions where I could find one. posted by govtrust at 8:36 PM PST - 4 comments

Have you ever been on a guided walking tour? What did you like about it? What did you dislike? Was the subject matter most important, or the presentation? How long was it? Was it focused narrowly (like, sites to pick up dudes in the Castro) or more broadly (like, the history of Manhattan) I would love to hear as much detail as possible about the walking tours that have bored you, thrilled you, or just made your feet hurt. Thank you! posted by serazin at 8:03 PM PST - 33 comments

I bit the bullet and bought the hardware to create a cheap PC. Dual core and 64 bit with a decent upgrade path, but I digress. Now I need to know: WinXP SP2 or WinXP x64? I figure I'll "try" before I buy the latter, but to save headache and hassle I thought I might simply ask. It's basically 2007, here, folks. Should I run a 32bit OS on a 64bit platform? What are the ups and downs, the pros and cons, in your experience. Thanks! posted by Grod at 6:36 PM PST - 8 comments

I am taking a surf trip to costa rica. Because of the nature of the trip, I will not be able to keep important documents on my person for large chunks of time. Where can I put them so that they are secure? [more inside]posted by |n$eCur3 at 5:06 PM PST - 9 comments

Where should we escape to? We (couple, not going to have kids) vant to be alone. We telecommute, so all we need is somewhere very quiet and safe and stable with good home Internet access. Where are the best places? I know we will have to do some travelling and check them out, but if you can give us some ideas, places, links, strategies to start on, we're grateful. [more inside]posted by Listener at 4:28 PM PST - 21 comments

Complete database newbie. I have raw information in the form of text, numbers and photos. This stuff will eventually be fed to users on a web site. I am in the information-collection phase now. What's the best way to collect and format the data so it has the easiest possible path into a database that will serve the web site? [more inside]posted by crosten at 2:16 PM PST - 9 comments

There's a small crack/dent in the wall by my door where it got kicked by accident. What's my best bet on fixing it? I don't need it to be perfect, but good enough to not be obvious. I've uploaded a few pics. My initial thoughts were to throw some spackle over the crack/hole, smooth it over, and then paint. Or should I just be trying to find someone to pay to do this? Thanks! posted by inigo2 at 1:37 PM PST - 9 comments

I'm trying to figure out how much a local dance studio should charge for hosting a 1-2 hour birthday party with dance instruction by one of our teachers. [more inside]posted by GregX3 at 1:31 PM PST - 8 comments

I'm trying to avoid shelling out an annual fee to XE for UK foreign exchange data. The European Central Bank provides a feed with Euro as base currency and the Bank of NZ has one for NZD. Surely there's a GBP equivalent? posted by Foaf at 1:04 PM PST - 10 comments

I'm visiting Morelia, Mexico this week, arriving just in time to miss the Virgin de Guadalupe fiesta, and staying about a week. Suggestions? [more inside]posted by Wet Spot at 12:56 PM PST - 5 comments

Is thinking/fantasizing/looking at someone who is not your partner cheating? What if your partner thinks it is but you do not? What do you expect from your partner in addition to simple fidelity? [more inside]posted by bluejayk at 11:33 AM PST - 79 comments

I've seen this type of personal (unpowered) watercraft, used close to shore, in the surf. I don't know what its called. Please help me identify this distinctive board/boat/flat kayak as google is not being my friend on this matter. Description within: [more inside]posted by Fupped Duck at 10:22 AM PST - 5 comments

I am going on a trip next week to Taipei and Hong Kong, and would like leave with an empty suitcase and come back with a full one. Can you help me prepare for what to get where? [more inside]posted by jonmartin at 9:37 AM PST - 2 comments

I'm looking for a drip coffee maker that can make a single cup, preferably in a thermal mug, or make several cups at a time in a thermal carafe. I've searched the internets without success so far. Any suggestions? posted by cahlers at 8:13 AM PST - 19 comments

So, despite no one having told me this through high school, now that I'm in college I've been informed that everyone, everywhere, thinks I'm gay (and high school friends have confirmed this, now that I've asked). Men, women, doesn't matter. I am aware that I have a (very) slight lisp, which I hate because I can't control it (from birth). I am aware that I'm upbeat and tend to talk fast when excited. My body language is probably somewhat submissive, but I don't think it's THAT bad. I'm shy around a lot of women, don't make eye contact a lot, and a lot of guys don't like me because I'm not that into the "guy topics of conversation". Aside from, you know, how EFFING HOT random girl #43 is. (Cause she was!)
The point is, I'm disturbingly straight and finding out what everyone really thinks has thrown me for a huge loop--not only am I being perceived as something I'm not, but it's also been (continually) detrimental to my success with women and social acceptance by guys... and I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. [more inside]posted by dmaterialized at 7:28 AM PST - 68 comments

Half-remembered fairy tale: a kid could only draw one eye on an animal, or else it would come to life. His secret is revealed when he's forced to draw both eyes on an animal, which then.. leaps off the page. What was this story? Where did it come from? posted by cmyk at 7:10 AM PST - 4 comments

I just bought a new camera that I'm very happy with (a Sony DSC-H2) but there's one imporant thing that it doesn't seem to do: Put a date stamp on the pictures! This is essential for a disorganized guy like me. How can I get datestamps on my pictures in some other tricky way once the pictures are moved to my PC? [more inside]posted by crapples at 5:34 AM PST - 8 comments

Nursing advice before I keel over? We've got an almost-two-week old here at home, and if she could she'd nurse (for comfort as well as food, I know, but there are no indicator lights to tell the difference) around the clock. If we thwart her drive to be hooked up every moment when not in deep sleep, it's howling time. We're trying every soothing trick in the many books to get her to calm down when not latched... [more inside]posted by clever sheep at 5:28 AM PST - 21 comments

How do you fairly score a pub quiz?
The quiz I run always has wildly varying team sizes - from one guy on his own to groups of eight or nine. It seems obvious to me that a sole participant who scores 95% has done better than a group of ten who score 100%, but I'd like an algorithm that will calculate a fair score for every team. I've tried to create one using exemplar data but I just don't seem to be able to hit the right combination of terms. My basic data set consists of (number of team members) and (score out of 100).
Any statisticians out there with a solution?
Bonus points if the algorithm is easily understandable to the general public.posted by alby at 4:05 AM PST - 20 comments

Assume space travel is currently safe, as fast as possible and comparatively (compared to now) inexpensive. How feasible would it be to start colonizing a planet in a new solar system in a self-sustaining way knowing what we know now? Is this being thought about? [more inside]posted by vizsla at 2:11 AM PST - 15 comments

I'm thinking of getting a towbar and (camper) trailer, but I have two questions: How do I make sure that the trailer sits level when connected to my car, and why does the towing capacity of the car appear to have no reference to the total weight of the car and trailer and load in both? posted by krisjohn at 12:43 AM PST - 3 comments

December 9

Please help! I received a foreclosure notice. I have the money, but have been having a difficult time with the lender. How do I prevent a foreclosure on my house? [more inside]posted by anonymous at 11:42 PM PST - 15 comments

Can ActiveSync be augmented?
I use the task list on my PDA extensively in a GTD-like manner. However, I would like my tasklist to be synchronized with my Outlook tasks via our office Exchange server.
My PDA is a Pocket PC running WM2003 SE. While Windows Mobile 2005 can sync tasks with a server, WM2003 cannot - instead it can only sync tasks with a PC.
So, the question is whether any third-party solutions exist to provide a conduit or some such, for Tasks for WM2003 for Exchange.
Any takers? posted by blue_wardrobe at 11:21 PM PST - 7 comments

What's a small, free program to store a bunch of email addresses, label them according to categories, generate lists to mail different categories and eliminate duplicate addresses from the lists? posted by Tuffy at 11:11 PM PST - 3 comments

Looking for suggestions on how to organize and promote an exchange of unused subway fare cards for travelers from Ann Arbor to DC, NYC, SF. Leaning towards a design that minimizes writing code.
I'm heading out to DC Sunday and had to dig around to find the remnants of the last fare - that should have been easy and an opportunity to socialize with the last person who came back with a partly full Metrocard. posted by edwardvielmetti at 10:43 PM PST - 4 comments

I had a folder on my XP desktop containing some .wav files. I then deleted the entire folder, and emptied the recycling bin. For some reason, this folder has been restoring itself on my desktop (sans the files) for reasons I cannot fathom. Each time, I delete it, and at some mysterious point later, it shows up again. [more inside]posted by war wrath of wraith at 8:59 PM PST - 6 comments

How much work will it take me to change from IE6 to Firefox? Looking at the list of problems in AMF, should a person not highly computer literate make the change? I use XP and have MS office installed and am now learning to write web pages -- CSS, HTML, Java.. Thanks in advance for your advice. posted by orlin at 8:12 PM PST - 25 comments

What's the best way to transfer money from my father's (residing in Japan) account to my own in the US for banking/investing, and what complications may there be? Or, if he's not expecting extreme rates, are there better options he can pursue himself within Japan?